


Radiant

by awyrmofmyword



Series: of mythics and man [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Creativitwins, Dragon Morality | Patton Sanders, M/M, Mentions of assassination, Mild descriptions of violence, Unicorn Deceit | Janus Sanders, also, because i love them???? brothers??? good content, in which roman falls in love with a dragon, janus is not called janus, mentions of Arranged Marriage, no im not projecting what haha, overcontrolling parent (background), the dream tbh, we finally get some princey!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26942650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awyrmofmyword/pseuds/awyrmofmyword
Summary: Roman has had a good life, living in a castle, the prince of his kingdom. However, he has always yearned for more adventure, and regularly engages in hunts to protect his peoples, much to his Father’s disdain. He loves knowing he can defend them, and loves the freedom of the hunt.This time, his adventures have found him in a very different type of trouble than he knew previously - trouble of theheart.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: of mythics and man [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1805497
Comments: 68
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all are enjoying this series so far! We introduce Roman in this one, and it gets so long it quantifies as a novella!
> 
> I would never have been able to do this without the help of the discord server friends, who have given me so much cheerleading and suggestions for ideas along the way. Thank you so much, and thank you to Shar for help with the summary, and to edgedancer77 for betaing this one all in one go, it is a Lot! This series was supposed to be all porn, but this plot just keeps building up the more I try to clean around here/j
> 
> Happy reading!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Advising isn't all it's cracked up to be, but at least the twins are having fun.
> 
> Roman takes a trip!

Roman sighs, tuning out the droning of the advisors and wishing he hadn't been ordered to this boring meeting. He isn't the politician brother, and after all of this nonsense, he doesn't want to be!

Remus pats his arm, grinning, bringing Roman back in time for him to hear his rebuttal to the advisor in question.

"Well, if you're so concerned about the Tanin nation, you know what that means~!" he crows, wiggling his eyebrows, and Roman fights back a snort as all of the advisors go red and begin to protest.

"M'lord, your response to everything cannot be to marry into the royal family of the nation in question!!" one manages. Remus chuckles.

"Why not, it's perfect logic to have a hand in the affairs of every other country, wouldn't you say?"

"Remus," their father says with a sigh, and Remus settles back into slouching into Roman's side.

"Thanks for the entertainment," Roman whispers, and Remus burps. Their father somehow looks even more exhausted.

"You are to be king after me, Remus, you cannot keep acting like this during meetings. I know you have a capable mind."

"I can act how I want," Remus grumbles, "It's not like I'm actually causing an issue, the solution is just to give them some of our sheep and crop- their shortage in production of fine cloth is due to a lack of resources from the famine in their land."

The advisors turn and mutter to each other for a moment, but then turn to the king, clearly pleased with this course of action. Their father glances at them, and then waves his hand.

"Well done. I can see you both obviously wish to leave, so I give you permission. Roman, there are some messenger hawks for you waiting in your room."

Roman feels a tinge of eagerness begin to thrum in his veins.

"The black ones?"

"Yes, Roman, the black ones."

With a whoop of excitement, Roman grabs his brother by the arm and drags him out of the meeting room, without a hint of decorum.

"You were just out on a hunt last week, Roro," Remus whines as they enter their shared bedroom, flopping down on his bed as Roman hurries to the balcony, throwing open the doors so the pair of black hawks can enter the room, fluttering to their stand and beginning to preen.

"Complain all you want, but I'm hopeless at all that advising," Roman says, taking the messages from both legs. "This is the greatest good I can do for our kingdom in my position."

"If Father had it his way, you know, the good would be marrying someone for an alliance yourself," Remus sighs, sitting up and whistling a hawk over to him, grabbing a mouse from the cage beside his bed to feed it. "You're lucky I've been able to convince him your hunting is better for the kingdom for this long."

Roman nods as he unfurls the messages at his desk, turning to face his brother. "And I'm grateful for that! I don't know what I'd do without my freedom. But just because you want me to stay and sit with you for moral support constantly doesn't mean I must- our people need me to keep them safe from danger."

"Is this one dangerous?" Remus asks curiously, wiping his now-bloodied hand on his fine sheets. Roman makes a face, but holds up the papers.

"Several sightings of a dragon around our easternmost town, creeping about and peeking in windows. The locals are terrified and want help."

"What's the other paper for?"

Roman shrugs. "Just a unicorn, but I'm not about to hunt an endangered species for the sake of a supposed cure."

"Ew, unicorns," his brother grumbles. "Far too frippy and perfect for my taste. Hey, can you bring me back the corpse of the dragon? I'd like to see what's going on in there."

Roman wrinkles his nose.

"Yeah, I guess, you weirdo. But I have to head out and actually kill it first."

Remus dithers a bit more and then pulls out a mouse for the second hawk.

"Alright, it's decided, you're going to go kill a dragon!"

Roman rolls his eyes affectionately. "Thank you, your 'grace'."

Remus throws a sock at him. "Get going, knave, before I change my mind and tell Father I absolutely must have you about for the next meeting on how to be a boring little trophy husband for the Tanin prince."

"I'm going, I'm going," Roman laughs, taking his shield from beside his bed and heading to the door. "Make sure not to drive the advisors _too_ crazy while I'm gone."

_"Hey--"_

"Cause I want to be there to see it!" Roman throws over his shoulder, laughing as Remus shakes a mouse at him from the bed, and closes the door behind him.

...

Roman's horse comes to a halt at the edge of the forest, and he stares up past the field at the vast mountain in awe.

"Glad I rested yesterday," he mumbles, slipping off of his horse and leading her to a sturdy-looking tree, tying her to it. _This is going to need all my strength..._

There was no true path up the side of the mountain, the locals had told him, so he would have to climb after it ended, about halfway up its sides. The drop was far, but... That's why a trained warrior was going up, and not a townsperson! He would be able to climb and vanquish the beast in its lair!

He brushes off the voice of his brother telling him that he's going to go crashing to the ground because he's never done such a large mountain climb without extra safety equipment before, and takes his pack and pick from the horse's saddle, moving towards the trail.

"See you with the corpse, Dash!" he says with a merry wave. His horse bends her head to start cropping grass unconcernedly.

Roman sucks in a breath and begins striding up the rugged path in a quick soldier's march.

_I can do this._

It doesn't take long for the path to end, and Roman readjusts his pack on his back easily, strapping it on and making sure his pick is grabbable, before moving to the mountainside. He throws himself into the climb with a fervor, first with just his hands, as far as he can go, and only when there are no more than cracks in the rock face does he pull his pick out and begin hauling himself up with it. The sun is blazing on his back, hot and harsh, and more than once Roman has to pause to drink some water from the skin at his hip, muscles protesting the entire time he stays still. Every slip makes panic spike through his system, his hands sweaty and clammy as he clings to the side of the mountain, waiting for his grip to strengthen once more.

After hours of staring determinedly at the grey rock and blue sky, terrified to look down, Roman finally reaches a ledge. He's so desperate for rest that he nearly falls in his scramble, but with a great heave and a boost of adrenaline he makes it, collapsing on the hard, dusty ground, aching all over. Groaning, he pries his eyes open and looks up at the mountain, hazy in the late afternoon light.

... He still has so much more to go before getting to the beast's cave.

Roman struggles to gather himself, arms shaking as he pushes himself up, but he collapses back onto the sun-hot ledge with a gasp.

Okay. No more moving for now. He can work with that.

Roman takes a breath in and puffs out, eyelids heavier with each moment. His whole body hurts, and he's sticky with sweat... But he's so tired.

The dragon won't find him here, right? It's not as if he's wearing bright colors.

He can sleep.

The last thought before his mind goes quiet is how unfair it would be if he died to the dragon now, after all that hard work he went to to climb up.

...

Patton giggles, flying in contented loop-di-loops all the way home from the meadow Dee had taken him on a date to. Their day had been full of nuzzles and whispered flirtations, no one to hear their softest parts but the insects, just as Dee liked it, and it made Patton feel like all his parts had been filled up only with love for his mate. Love-drunk and light as air...

"My unicorn is perfect," Patton sighs adoringly to the night air and the moon, dipping lower as he flies closer to his mountain. "Gentle and so sweet to me. He said he'd hunt for me every day if I asked, isn't he just the most romantic creature you've ever known?"

The moon doesn't respond, but Patton wasn't expecting it to- just flutters along on love's light wings, much like the butterflies they'd seen earlier.

The butterflies that had flown around them so prettily as Dee had made love to him in the tall, flowered grass...

Patton's cheeks warm, glowing, and he does another giggly loop as he comes to the rock face of the mountain beside his, beginning his ascent to the cave. Dee had undone him utterly, and it made his scales all tingly again just thinking about his unicorn kissing down his belly, Dee spreading Patton’s legs apart with his hands and--

"No, I don't want the mashed potatoes...."

Patton's flight stutters to a halt, and he flutters down a bit, searching for the person who had made a noise. As far as he knows, he has no neighbors, and if he does, well- he needs to greet them, by goodness!

After a bit of looking, Patton spots movement on a small ledge just below his cave and flies closer. The person is hidden in the shadows there, swathed in a way that Patton cannot tell what sort of creature they are... but he can smell their exhaustion and pain from where he hovers!

Patton darts forward and carefully lifts the person into his arms, trying not to brush the rock face, and then breaks away from the side and flutters up. 

"On the rock face is no place to sleep," he chastises, and the person in his claws lets out a snore as Patton flutters into his cave, adjusting the creature to one paw and walking to the bath caves to clean them.

He lights the torches he attached to the walls at Dee's requests and looks down at his find- and gasps.

"A human? Here?"

The human has a pretty crest on his chest, as well as chainmail armor, a bag on his back, and a sword and canteen on his hip. Patton stares for a moment.

"How did you get up so high like this?"

The human, naturally, offers no response, and Patton shakes his head rapidly. "You're right, of course. Making sure you're clean comes first. Now, I know you're asleep, but you have got to be baking in there, so I'm gonna take off your over layers, okay? You humans are so silly putting on so many sets of clothes at once, goodness gracious..."

Patton carefully takes off the backpack and swordbelt, and then peels off the overshirt like a banana skin, folding it as a pillow and laying it under the human's head before setting him down and undoing the chainmail armor. After pulling it off carefully and setting it aside, the human is in a simple white shirt and brown pants, and the shirt is see-through with sweat and grime.

"That's not good," Patton mumbles, and takes that off as well. "Don't humans need to drink a lot of water? You're so squishy."

The human snores again, and Patton hums quietly, moving past the magma-heated pools of water to fish up some from the cooler river running through the side of the cavern. He brings it over in a pot, and starts cleaning the human off with a cloth he dipped in it.

"Now Dee isn't home, but I have some reserves of fresh water for you," Patton tells the human sternly. "As soon as you wake up, I need you to drink some water. I'll set it by your head with a note, okay?... Or should I be here to tell you?"

He ponders it for a moment, and then shakes his head. "No, I'll leave it so I can cook you some lamb so you have something to eat. If I can remember where that flock is, that is."

Patton quickly retrieves the water, penning a note that it's for him and putting a big smiley on it, before setting it beside the snoozing human and his belongings and heading back to the mouth of the main cave. Dee won't be home for another few days, so Patton thinks he better make this quick, so the human isn't alone when he wakes up.

He spreads his wings, and takes to the sky.

"Now where were those sheep...?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this chapter and are wondering just what's going to happen when Roman awakens, please consider leaving a comment :)!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman wakes up somewhere he doesn't recognize.

Roman awakens to an all-over ache, a moist atmosphere, and the smell of something savory drifting through the air.

He sits up with a groan at the dizziness and pain, blinking in the dim light of... a cave?

Wait a moment.

Roman pats his bare chest, cleaned of the grime and grit from climbing, and looks around at his surroundings. Torches burn along the walls, dimly illuminating pools of steaming water and a stream, casting everything with a soft orange glow. His bags and clothing are set beside him, a blanket is sitting on his legs from where it had fallen when he had sat up, and next to those...

Roman reaches a hand to the vase full of water beside him, looking at the note that had been stuck on with what appears to be sap.

"hello! this is clean water, please drink because you sweat an awful lot and i'm pretty sure humans are supposed to be water-filled. I will be cooking in the cave in front of you when you sit up! c:"

Roman blinks. _Human?_ Was the person who did this something else?

He takes a tentative sip of the water, avoiding the sap with his hands, and nearly chokes in shock. It's subtly sweet, almost like a water that had some form of fruit sitting in it for an afternoon, and before he knows it he's drunk the whole thing down.

_Hopefully it wasn't poison._

He sets the container down and moves to grab his shirt, which now smells of lavender and is dry, presumably from being washed.

"How long was I out?" he wonders aloud, pulling up a leg to sniff his pants... yep, those were washed as well. _At least this person has good servants?_

Roman pulls on the shirt, taking a dagger out of the bag and putting it up his sleeve just to be safe, and heads to the cave that had been marked on the note.

The savory smell gets stronger as the humidity fades, and Roman enters from the tunnel to find a room filled with... knickknacks and toys? There's a pile of blankets in the corner, and the cave goes on to an exit at the one side, and to more tunnels on the other. Roman peers at the items on the table closest to him, reaching to pick up a tiny, worn, wooden doll--

"Please don't!" a voice yelps, and Roman leaps in fright and whirls around.

"Who goes-- DRAGON!!"

The dragon ' _eep_ 's and recoils, a pot of some sort of soup sloshing in his claws. "I'm sorry little guy! I forgot humans are scared so easily, I usually go out at night, and- I shouldn't have yelled, but my hoard is very special to me, so I gotta ask that you please don't touch it..."

Roman is backed against the wall, trying to grab the dagger from his sleeve, and the dragon tiptoes forward some.

"Um, it's good to see you're up, though? Did you drink your water? I made you some soup, I meant to get you lamb but all I could find were some does, so I had to make do with that, I hope it's to your taste and--"

"Wait, you were the one who washed and watered me??" Roman blurts. The dragon cocks his head, almost... curiously.

"Well, yeah," he says. "You were fast asleep and in pain on my mountain! I couldn't just leave you there, and once I saw how dirty you got climbing I decided to clean you."

Roman just gapes at him, and the dragon shuffles awkwardly and sets the soup down on a smoother patch of the floor.

"Well, if you want some of that, I can get you a bowl," he offers, and Roman slowly pries himself off of the wall, still staring at the dragon. "I have wooden and pretty clay bowls, which would you like, er-"

"Roman," Roman says faintly, and the dragon smiles. Roman has to fight not to quake at the sight of all those teeth.

"Roman. What a nice name! My name is Patton. So, which bowl do you want? For the clay, I have orange with bats, or black with pumpkins, and for the wood--"

"Whatever you decide," Roman manages.

Patton crinkles his snout in thought. "Wellll... I know I like it when bats come through and nest with me. But then again, there are lots of pumpkins that grow in Dee's field... hold on, I'll be right back."

He pads out of the room, and Roman relaxes so quickly his rubber-worn muscles give out and he collapses to the floor, before attempting to scramble back up. He manages to get into a sitting position, but his muscles complain so loudly at the thought of going higher up that he sinks right back down.

So running away isn't an option. Right.

His stomach growls, and Roman looks at the soup with barely-suppressed hunger.

Not that he really wanted to, but...

He shudders at the thought of the dragon dunking him in the soup and eating _him_ instead, shaking his mind to clear the thought. Why would the dragon eat him now, instead of doing so while he was asleep? He was clean when he awoke, which means that he must have had time to do so while Roman was both cleaned and sleeping.

 _Unless he likes to play with his prey,_ a voice that sounds too much like his brother's whispers, and Roman shakes it off.

No. The dragon clearly means well, somehow, and if he doesn't, well... Roman can be Esau rather than Abel. For once.

A few more moments go by, and finally the dragon comes in with a black bowl with orange bats, and a satisfied expression. "I found one that's a nice mix! I'll just pour this in here for you..."

He sets the bowl down on the ground, carefully tipping the soup pot so some pours into it and then nudging it within Roman's reach.

"There you are, Ro," he says cheerfully. "I've already had my fill eating the rest of the doe, so you go ahead and eat as much as you need, okay? You must be hungry after such a big climb!"

Roman nods as he takes the bowl and brings it to his mouth, carefully puffing breaths of air on it.

"Do you have any spoons?" he manages to ask, attempting decorum, before he finds his mouth occupied with the rich, meaty liquid.

(Well, he isn't the crown prince and this isn't the dining room, Father isn't here to scold, so he can do as he pleases.)

Patton tilts his head curiously. "I'm not sure what a spoon is, but my hoard is just toys and fun little trinkets, so if it's not that I don't have what you want."

Roman barely manages a nod, gulping down the soup eagerly. Either it's the best he's ever tasted, or he's hungrier than he has ever been. Within seconds, the liquid is downed, and Roman holds out the bowl for more while still working on the venison.

"Hungry, huh?" Patton makes a growl-huffing noise, and Roman tenses before realizing that the dragon looks more amused than angry. "Here, I can pour more in for you. Don't eat so fast you get a tummyache!"

Roman swallows the meat and coughs. "Right, er. Right."

"I try to be," Patton says teasingly, and hands the bowl back to Roman.

"So, Roman," he says after Roman begins working on his seconds, a little slower this time. "Where were you going that you were climbing my mountain? Did you get lost? I can take you down to the path if you want."

Roman freezes, and slowly wipes some of the soup from his lips to give himself time to think.

"Um..."

"You don't need to tell me exactly where you're aiming for of course, if you're not comfortable with it!" Patton reassures him. "But if you were coming to my cave..."

_Shit._

Roman braces himself for the dragon to turn to a raging beast, threatening to maul him--

"... I hate to break it to you, but there's no human riches in my hoard!" Patton laughs awkwardly, gesturing to the shelves. "See? It's all little abandoned things, like I said before. I don't take what's still being used unless it's something I need."

He makes an odd face. "Um, or if it's bread. I haven't quite figured how to make that myself. But I always pay them in scales!"

Roman lets out the breath he had been holding and sets the emptied bowl down carefully, pushing it to Patton again.

"Fear not, citi- er, dragon, I had not been plotting to steal from you. I... was... crossing the mountain in order to hunt a monster that had been plaguing a village! Just passing through, you see, and- and I didn't want to waste time on the path."

Not _technically_ a lie, but Roman hopes Patton doesn't discern the truth.

"Oh my!" Patton says in shock. "How awful of them! Was it the rocs a few mountains over? I knew they had a taste for flesh, but I didn't realize they were hungry enough to attack a whole town!"

He picks up the bowl and laps it clean, setting it in his folded wing and covering the remaining soup with a lid from the other. "Well, you needn't hunt them, Roman. I will give them a stern talking-to about picking off humans that don't try to attack them outright, and you can head on home to safety, yeah? I'm glad I picked you up- you might have ended up in their gullets by this time otherwise!"

Roman nods, hoping the smile he plasters on hides his guilt. The townspeople obviously didn't like this dragon rooting through their trash, but that is no reason for Roman to slay him, same as one wouldn't slay an unintelligent animal for doing the same. He will have to address it with their leader- perhaps tell him he needs more supplies before killing the beast, so that he can leave Patton alone...

"Thank you for caring for me, Patton," Roman says finally, and Patton's gaze softens.

"You're welcome, Roman. Would you like me to fly you to the path, if you're recovered enough, now?"

"Yes please," Roman replies, standing and stretching slowly. Patton nods.

"Grab your bags, and then I can carry you down."

"Oh! Right," Roman says, laughing in embarrassment, and the dragon's paler cheek scales _light up._

"Be right back!" Roman says quickly, and darts into the other cave to pick up his belongings before the surprise can show on his face.

Patton may be kind, but that's no reason for Roman to gape in confusion every time something unusual happens. Just in case.

He comes back into the main cave, suited up once more with his pack on his back, and Patton, by the entrance, gives him a (toothy, terrifying) grin.

"Come on, Roman, I'll pick you up by your shoulders, okay?"

Roman stands in front of Patton and awkwardly holds up his arms, and before he can blink the dragon's talons have curled around his shoulders, his broad wings have beat, and they are falling off the steep side of the mountain.

Roman screams, the wind tearing it from his mouth as he flails in Patton's grasp in a panic. Patton's grip is unwavering, however, and as Roman continues to kick and cry out in fear, he spreads his wings out fully and catches them in an upward glide- a sudden peace.

Roman is still screaming, though, and can hardly hear Patton's worried questions through the temporary deafness the wind had left in his ears.

"Roman??"

Roman thrashes hard, once, twice, and then slowly, his mind picks up on the fact that they have come to a halt, and he stops moving, going limp in Patton's grip.

"... Sorry," Roman says sheepishly.

Patton's wrinkled expression doesn't change, so he's either concerned or finds Roman very annoying indeed, and Roman is surprised to find he hopes it isn't the second.

"Thanks for flying me down," he adds, and Patton flaps his wings again, picking up more height as they approach the trees.

"No problem, Roman, I'm sorry for dropping so steeply. It's not often I fly with others, so I can't always tell what I'm meant to do..."

"You're fine."

Patton nods and finally dips down, landing in a clearing where the path forks and setting Roman down carefully.

"You're going to want to take that road," Patton says, gesturing to the path that lies to Roman's right, that is covered in dandelions. "It'll take you right to town, I've used it many times. Do you need anything else?"

Roman thinks for a moment, and then realizes what he could use.

"Actually, yes," he says. "You see, the people in this town have heard about the rocs, and they are very nervous about big flying mythics right now. When you go into town, could you be careful not to be seen?"

Patton bobs his head. "Of course! I never want to scare anyone, I'm much softer than I look. Thank you for telling me."

Roman gives him a grin, and after a moment Patton shuffles his wing against his side, combing it. After a few moments, two shimmering green-blue scales fall off, and Patton gingerly picks them up and hands them to Roman.

"Here," he says. "I'll be careful, but can you give them this as a sign of my goodwill?"

Roman takes them delicately and puts them in his pocket, a plan falling into place in his mind.

"Of course, I'll pass them along," he says, and Patton looks relieved.

"Thank you, Roman. Alright, I suppose I'll see you around!"

"See you," Roman responds, and then Patton beats his wings and takes to the sky once more, flying up above the trees and vanishing. Once Roman's certain Patton won't be able to see him, he darts up the mountain path and finds Dash where she was before, calmly standing beside the tree she's tied to.

"Thank goodness you're here," he mumbles to her, and she nickers as he unties her from the tree and reaches to the earth to begin slathering her flanks in dust. "We have a con to pull- are you with me?"

She flicks her ears, and Roman nods. "That's the spirit!"

After he rubs himself with dust and mud, remembering what actors at the palace would do to look as if they had been in a harrowing battle, he jumps up onto her back and clicks his teeth, guiding her onto the path once more and heading to the town.

The kids playing at the edge gasp when they see him riding past, running into town ahead of him, and when Roman gets to the town square he finds himself surrounded by the townspeople, the head farmers approaching.

"Your highness," the eldest greets with a bow. "I take it you were successful?"

"That I was," Roman announces grandly, sweeping out an arm. "I killed the beast in a mighty battle that lasted all through the night, and left his body for the birds. As proof, I grant you this bloodied scale!!"

Roman pulls out the larger of the pair, which he had dabbed with reddish dirt, holding it aloft for all to see. The children crowd closer eagerly as Roman hands it to the head farmer.

"Thank you so much," the man murmurs, and the rest of the crowd echoes it until they're cheering in a roar that almost matches the grandest of beasts. They shower Roman in praise and small gifts, food and drink for the road, and flowers, and Roman tries not to let his shame show.

They wouldn't listen, he knows, but that does not make him feel better for lying to them, or to Patton.

He hurries out of town as quickly as he can, eager to put this entire situation behind him... at least once he's back, he can forget this all ever happened.

...

"I still can't believe you didn't bring me back a corpse," Remus whines, kicking Roman's leg as they walk through the castle halls, earning a yelp and Roman clinging to him for support in return. _He's lucky I took a bath so his tunic isn't ruined._ "Like maybe you went soft and didn't kill him and all, but you promised me blood! Couldn't you have brought back a boar or something??"

"You know even _I_ wouldn't take on a boar single-handedly," Roman huffs, and pulls Remus' hand towards him once his tremors subside. "Here, you ungrateful whelp."

He presses the remaining scale into his brother's palm, and Remus' eyes go wide.

"Oooo, shiny."

"There, now you have part of Pa- the dragon," Roman says, and Remus looks up with a gleam in his eye.

"Pah?" he asks, mustache twitching, and Roman groans. "No please, go on! What name does this beastie have? Part-renderer? Parcher? P--"

"It's just _Patton,"_ Roman says, hobbling away from his twin, and Remus makes a noise halfway between a quack and a growl.

 _"Patton??_ But that's so BORING!"

"He doesn't exist to be cool for you," Roman frowns, and Remus sighs.

"Yeah, but wouldn't it be neat though??"

Roman scoffs, hiding his smile, but he knows his brother can tell, and as they enter the balcony corridor, Remus slips his arm into Roman's own to help support him.

"Ah, Roman, you're back from your... outing."

Roman jumps, turning to the balcony, where his father is seated with an ambassador. His expression is severe as ever, and part of Roman wilts under his gaze.

"Hello, Father."

The king gestures them closer, and Roman leads hesitantly, straightening as they come closer to the table. The ambassador gives him a smile.

"This is Valerie of Sylva, a kingdom to the south of ours," his father introduces, with the small, cool smile Roman knows means nothing good. "She's come here to discuss treaty work with us."

"A pleasure to meet you, your highness," she says, in a sweet voice, and Roman gives her an only half-forced smile.

"Hello, Valerie. It's good to meet you," he says, and she grins.

"His Majesty tells me you've been educated in several languages and codes of nations. Tell me, ¿cuál es el castigo por robo en mi nación?"

Roman answers easily in her tongue- the punishment for theft is a public announcing of the person who robbed, so they will not do it again, the law allows same-sex marriages, the last emperor over their nation was Devon the Conquerer. As he answers, though, while Valerie grows happier, so does his father, and Roman can't help but feel something is up.

"Very good," the king says after a good while has passed and the sun is at its lowest. "You both are dismissed."

"Thank you," Roman murmurs, the stress weighing him down slowly seeping into exhaustion, and he bows to Valerie briefly before allowing Remus to lead him inside, supporting him all the way to their room, oddly quiet on the way there.

"Night," Roman mumbles once Remus helps him settle onto the bed, and his brother snorts.

"As if I'm just gonna let you take up the whole bed when you've just gotten back from a mission, scooch your butt over!"

"Noooo..."

When Roman doesn't flop aside, Remus pushes him over, pulling off his outer tunic and robe and flopping onto the clean sheets beside him, squirming right up against him.

"Thanks," Roman says sarcastically, but there's no bite to it, and his twin yawns loudly.

"Night, bitch."

"Yeah, yeah."

Though he's loath to admit it, the added warmth is comforting, and once he's sure Remus is asleep, Roman turns over and cuddles into him with a sigh.

It'll be alright. Patton is safe, and Roman is right back where he belongs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sure glad that's over! End of story everyone/j
> 
> Oh, we're just getting started...
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider giving a kudos and whapping that smiley face when it tells you you can't leave any more!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton needs to learn what it means to be careful coming into town.

Roman wakes up a few weeks later to a dead mouse on his face, his brother's half of the bed suspiciously absent, and a messenger hawk swooping towards him, talons outstretched.

And shrieks.

"REMUS!!" Roman bellows, snatching the mouse off and rolling out of the way of the hawk's talons a split second before it could shred his (beautiful) features. The hawk lands on the pillow, looking quite startled with this turn of events, and Roman turns to find Remus cackling on the floor, holding his sides and howling like a dog.

"You are the _worst,_ actually," Roman hisses, flinging the mouse at Remus, who giggles and sits up.

"You're awake, aren't you?"

"No thanks to you!!"

Remus sticks out his tongue and waves a letter at Roman. "Your dragon's causing issues again."

"What??"

Roman scrambles to sit on Remus before he can try wriggling away and pulls the message from his grasp, poring over it as his brother smacks him and tries to escape.

"... I cannot believe this," Roman exclaims, throwing the letter to the ground, and Remus stops struggling.

"Why not?"

"He's given up his freedom in not being noticed, for _bread,"_ Roman sighs, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, my goodness, and now they're going to demand I show more proof that he's dead..."

"Just kill him then!"

"He's too nice to kill, I can't hurt him when he's not doing any harm!" Roman grouses. "He's just a little ridiculous, but- uuUgh I'm gonna have to go help him aren't I."

"You're a sap," Remus informs, and Roman pinches him before standing.

"Shut up and help distract Father so I can get out of this place."

The King had become even more overbearing over the past weeks, dragging Roman along to every single meeting with the ambassadors as if _he_ was the crown prince and not his brother, never letting Roman out of his sight until the day was done.

Remus follows suit and elbows Roman none-too-gently.

"You'll owe me for this, he's gonna give me so much shit for you being gone. Why should I do this?"

"I won't be doing it again," Roman promises. "I just... I can't just let Patton get hurt when he's innocent."

"... I guess I'll allow it," his twin acquiesces. "You're my favorite brother, after all."

"... I'm your only brother."

"Well, then you're my least favorite and I hate you./j Come on, Roman, let's get it over with."

...

Roman arrives at the village only a little before sundown sets, and quickly stops to ask the head farmers what the issue happens to be this time.

"It steals all our grains!"

"The new dragon hungers for blood!!"

"The beast terrorized my wife and ate my child!!!"

... Roman asks the other farmers and the farmers' spouses what happened, and they all come to the agreement that the 'new' dragon simply likes to steal food. They happily give him a room at the largest house that evening, in return for his services, and Roman settles down, eager to sleep.

It doesn't take very long for him to jolt awake again, feeling as if something is amiss.

"Gotta sneak through the town, yeah, ye-ah," comes a voice through his window, singing in what is almost a stage whisper, "Cause I can't, wake up the townspeople, uh-huh, they need to feel saaa~aafe..."

_Patton._

Roman sighs heavily and opens his window to look out into the street, where his acquaintance is making his way downtown, singing and sniffing the air, no doubt looking for treats.

Slinging a leg out of the window, Roman swings into the garden and then into the street, feet clattering a bit on the cobblestones. Patton _jumps_ and turns around, wings trying to spread only to be turned away by the windows and walls of the surrounding houses.

"I'm sorry!" the dragon yelps, and Roman holds a hand out frantically.

"Shhh! Patton, it's me, Roman!"

Patton's wings snap back to his side and he bumbles forward, sniffing at Roman's hand before responding.

"I can see you, it's just, you startled me," Patton mumbles, and Roman sighs.

"Didn't I tell you to avoid coming in here, and on any rare occasions you came down here to be careful? The townspeople know you've been coming through- come over here, into the trees, just in case."

Patton looks distressed as he follows Roman into the underbrush. "But I have been careful! I don't leave my scales any more, I--"

"You were talking," Roman says abruptly, and Patton droops.

"Singing makes the sneaking much more comfy..."

Roman shakes his head and pats Patton's flank to reassure him.

"I know you like bread, but isn't there a better way you can do this?" Roman says softly. "Like... you can always ask to be taught how to make it by someone you know."

Patton thinks for a moment and then brightens. "Yeah! Thanks, Roman!"

Roman smiles and hopes he remembers how bread works. "So, we need to start with--"

"I'll go into town right now and ask the baker!"

Roman doesn't process this until Patton begins lumbering away again, and then he throws himself in front of the dragon. _"No,_ Patton, not the baker!"

"Why nooot?" Patton pouts, and Roman points at the starlit sky and the moon heavy above them.

"They're asleep, Pat, you cannot just wake them for bread." _And everyone in town is terrified of you._

"Then who can I ask?" Patton asks morosely, and Roman fleetingly wonders how a dragon can be so cute.

"I know how to make bread," Roman offers. Patton brightens so fast Roman wonders if a star has come to walk the earth’s surface. "We need some seeds so you can keep making it, but I'm sure I can help you get some. I just need to grab my travel pack, alright?"

Patton's tail wags slowly, and Roman eyes the trees around them with trepidation as the dragon's club comes closer with each wag... but Patton's bright smile is worth it.

_... What?_

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!" Patton squeals, and his arms snap out to pull Roman in so quickly it almost dazes him. "You are the sweetest, oh I can't wait to make bread together- what's the process of making bread called? Breading? Breeding?"

Roman's face feels like it's on fire, and he squirms out of Patton's grip. "What? No, Patton, it's _baking,_ like being a _baker_ is being someone who makes bread."

Patton's face scrunches up, and Roman is almost horrified to think that that expression is _adorable._

"I still think mine sounds better," he hums. "Cause you don't bake it the entire time, right? You have to put the ingredients together first."

"Well-" Roman pauses. "... I suppose that's true."

"So, we're going to breed," Patton says, and it's in such a matter-of-fact tone that Roman gives up the argument.

"Be careful who you say that around, Pat. Anyway. I'll grab my pack and write a note, and we can go up to your mountain, alright?"

Patton wags faster and nearly takes a branch down. "Alright!!"

Roman takes a breath as he climbs back in the window and hopes he can handle what he's gotten into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the joys of friendship.
> 
> If you can't wait to see Roman and Patton breeding next chapter, please consider leaving a comment!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> breeding time

Patton is thankfully willing to let Roman get some sleep first, and once they're in the cave he ends up in the pillow pile with Patton this time, both fast asleep in moments.

When he wakes, Roman finds himself cuddling the dragon's flank, warm and smooth.

"Oh," he mumbles sleepily, but he's reluctant to move away from the warmth. Is this the dragon's fire myth goes on about?... It's nice.

He must have fallen asleep again, because when he opens his eyes once more his arms are empty, and he sits up to stretch, yawning.

"Patton, you there?" he mumbles, shivering in the chill of the morning. At home, he'd have coffee made for him, but here he needs to make it himself, and he can't do it without fire. "Ready to cook today?"

"Coming," Patton calls, and as he moves into view once more Roman finds that he might not need the coffee after all.

"What happened??" he manages, gaping as the dragon- what had been a dragon? turns towards him, a confused expression on his now human-like face. Though still scaled, and with the same eyes, Patton is smaller and now has a flat, slit nose, and his mouth isn't part of a muzzle. His body is a cross between dragon and human, small wings folded against his back, tail held slightly above the ground, and legs shaped almost like they were before, now bipedal.

"Hmm?" Patton says, pulling at a curl of his dark brown _hair-_ "What do you mean? My form?"

Roman fights back a flush as Patton excitedly steps closer, smiling a now slightly less terrifying, rather _attractive_ smile, tail beginning to wag again. "I take this form for different things when I need to, it's still me! I just figured I might need my paws to be closer in shape to what you have for this. See?"

He holds up his paws, now distinctly hand-shaped, and Roman swallows.

"Good idea, Pat. You- you know that from seeing the baker at work?"

"Yeah!" comes the cheerful reply, and Roman has to take a moment to breathe.

_Okay. What the hell, Roman. You can't seriously be attracted to a dragon._

Roman glances back up at Patton's sunny smile, remembers the singing last night, the care in every movement during their first meeting, Patton's endearing little quirks, and flushes even harder.

He's seriously attracted to a dragon.

"So when do we start?"

"Huh?" Roman asks, jolted from his thoughts, and Patton bounces on his heels- toes?

"When do we start?"

"Uh- as soon as we wash our hands," Roman says, shaking himself back into the moment, and pulls some soap out of his bag.

Patton tilts his head and Roman almost melts.

"In the river, not the tubs, okay? I don't know if your soap is the same, but I don't want it to accidentally damage the cave."

"Sur- yeah, I can do that," Roman manages, setting his bag down, and he quickly scurries into the second cave, taking the bar of soap and lathering up in the river, mind going a million miles a minute.

This cannot be a big-deal feeling. Patton was a bit goofy, that much was true, and it made Roman feel more at ease than almost anyone at the castle ever had. That didn't mean it was a _crush,_ right? He had found other royals attractive or kind without crushing on them, heck, if he didn't he'd be married off to half the kingdoms Father wished him to be right now!

"I found my plum soap!" Patton proclaims, bustling in behind him, and seats himself next to Roman to begin scrubbing. "I didn't just wanna use my lavender because even though I'm _laven_ these paws, I like to save that for times when I'm stressed and I'm _plum_ b having all sorts of fun with you!"

Roman stares at Patton as he laughs at his own jokes, and feels his heart swell in his chest.

Oh.

_Okay._

_So it is a crush._

Rumors had it that dragons would kidnap pretty princes, but no one had warned him they might just take your eyes or heart.

They finish washing their hands and head back to the main cave, Roman trailing behind Patton and trying to absorb the enormity of what just happened. Why does he have a crush? Because Patton rescued him? Because he's the first person Roman's met who isn't a suitor from another nation, ready and wanting to sweep him from his life?

Patton grabs Roman's bag in one hand, and takes Roman's hand in the other, leading him into the tunnels at the back of the cave, and quite suddenly Roman doesn't care at all _why_ these feelings are afflicting him. Patton's hand is gentle in Roman's grasp, warm. Roman runs a thumb over Patton's smooth scales and tries to quell the swiftness of his heart, to no avail, and when Patton pulls him into his side, Roman gives up entirely.

"Now stay still," Patton murmurs, and Roman shivers pleasantly at his tone. "I have to light the torches in here, alright?"

Roman nods against Patton's horn, and Patton lets out a stream of flame, lighting four torches in quick succession.

"There we go," he says approvingly, and Roman struggles not to pout as he is let go. Patton turns to him, grinning.

"So there's a few holes in the top of this cave, so it's my cooking cave!" Patton introduces. "This way the bigger amounts of smoke are safer for anyone who comes in here."

"That's very smart," Roman says softly, and Patton giggles.

"Aw, shucks, Ro, you're so sweet."

Roman gazes at Patton, overcome with emotion for him. His scales look even more radiant in the firelight...

Patton coughs. "What ingredients do we start with?"

"Ingredients!! Right!" Roman says, half-strangled, and reaches for the bag. "So we start with wheat flour, salt, and water, and we have to mix it together until it's a thick dough, and then we lay it beside the fire and wait for it to rise."

"Is that it?" Patton asks, and Roman fleetingly realizes Patton might decide he doesn't need help after all.

"Uh- it can be hard to get the combination right! I can help you," Roman offers, and Patton's cheek scales brighten a little.

"You're so sweet, Roman, thank you for helping me," he says, taking one of Roman's hands between his paws. "Even if it's simpler than I thought, I'm glad you're here to show me how it's done. Every task is better when you have a friend with you to get it done, right?"

Roman feels his face warm, and he nods, bringing his other hand to pat Patton's. "I'm happy to help you with something you love."

Patton's scales brighten even more, and Roman nearly reaches up to cup his cheek. He pulls away with a small cough, and Patton startles.

"Yeah. Yeah! Okay, Roman, let's get breeding."

The warmth in Roman's cheeks intensifies to a flame, and he tries to hide it by rooting around his bag for the flour. "Yep! Time to br- um, make this bread. Here's the flour, I have enough for a loaf."

Patton sticks a finger in the bag and sniffs it, wrinkling his nose a little. "Smells weird."

"It'll smell like bread once we bake it," Roman assures him. "So we just need water now, and I have some salt, can you grab the water as I find it?"

Patton beams. "Sure thing!"

He scurries off to retrieve the water, and Roman moves to clear off a table for them, keeping an iron tray near for the finished dough to cook in.

Once Patton returns, carrying a bowl of water and looking a little damp himself - did he fall in? - Roman gestures to the cleared surface, where he's put the flour in one of the many pans.

"Usually I mix the ingredients on a flat surface, but since this is your first time, we're going to do it in this pan to keep it contained."

"Sounds good!" Patton says, eyes bright. "Should I pour all the water in?"

"Not at once, because we want to make sure it's not too watery," Roman explains. "Since we don't have measuring cups, a little water being put in at a time will help us keep track."

Patton nods, and, scrunching his face up in concentration, pours in two little droplets of water.

"Is this right?"

_Oh my stars, he's too cute._

Roman shakes his head a little and takes Patton's paws in his own, not at all for his own benefit, tilting the bowl so a reasonable amount of water pours in before straightening it and setting it aside.

"More like this," he corrects gently. "You followed my instructions to the letter, and so I apologize for being vague. It needs to be enough to mix, and we'll add more if the dough doesn't form into one large ball."

Patton 'ohh's and nods, peeking back up at Roman with an almost-shy grin.

"Thank goodness I have such a sweet teacher to help me," he says, and Roman flushes.

"I do my best," he manages. "It helps that you're good with instructions, so- next up, we knead it with our hands to help mix it in."

"I can _touch it?"_ Patton says, excited, and Roman melts all over again.

"Go ahead, it's part of the recipe, just try not to spill the fl--"

Patton eagerly dives in, fondling the flour and squishing it into the water, pupils wide as a cat's with a mouse and tail wagging. He kneads it, and Roman almost misses his request for more water, so distracted by just how adorable Patton is. Bit by bit, the dough comes together, and as soon as it's nice, thick, and slightly sticky, Roman nods in approval and spreads the remaining flour over the table.

"Now we just have to roll it, adding the salt as well," he says. Patton looks up at him from where he's still kneading the dough, practically purring. "Since you're handling it, scoop it out of the pot and rest it on the table, and I'll help you roll it if you need, okay?"

"Sounds great!" Patton beams, and makes quick work of retrieving the brown mixture from the pot. Once it's set on the tabletop, Patton turns to Roman.

"I'm not sure how to roll it, exactly," he says, cheek scales lit up, and Roman steps over with the salt. Patton bites his lip gently, worrying it with his sharp teeth and looking up at Roman. "Could you help me?"

"Of course I can," Roman says automatically, trying not to blush even more, and Patton beams and takes the dough in both hands, leaning over the table.

"Like this, right?"

"That's good form," Roman praises. "Now, you want to start rolling it against the table."

Patton hesitates, scales still at that steady glow, and then begins simply rolling it between his fingers the same as before. "Is this good?"

"Against the table, Pat," Roman tries to clarify, but Patton just squishes it against the tabletop then. Roman moves forward.

"Like this," he says, taking Patton's paws in his hands and slowly rolling the dough against the table before kneading it, and then starting again. Patton's cheek scales are so bright it's easy to see what they're doing, and his body shifts, pressing his smooth side snug against Roman's front, back scales settling around Roman's arm.

... Very suddenly, Roman realizes just what position they've assumed, and he sorely hopes Patton doesn't realize. He tries to focus on rolling the bread with Patton, over and over, but the way their bodies move in tandem, pressing together, keeps his mind in place. The warmth that comes as they roll together, Patton wrapped so intimately, so close in Roman's arms, could cloud Roman's thoughts if the situation were any different.

As it is, he simply tries not to pass out. From embarrassment, or the rapid beating of his heart.

"You're very comfortable," Patton murmurs, and Roman heart skips a beat. They roll forward once, and then Patton slows their way back, so Roman, already hyperaware of Patton's body against his, feels every minute shift as they inch into standing once more. He swallows.

"And cuddling with you was a dream," Patton sighs softly, slowly going back into the forward roll. "... I like making bread with you."

"Not breeding?" The question slips from Roman before he can stop himself. Patton bites his lip, glow intensifying. He whispers something under his breath, so quietly Roman isn't sure he was meant to hear it, so he doesn't ask though he's burning with curiosity.

(And other feelings.)

After a few more rolls he pulls away and pulls the pan over, trying to silence the disappointment in himself at the loss of contact. Patton's still biting his lip in that way that makes Roman want to scream, and Roman quickly looks down at the dough.

"Um, now you have to put the dough into this metal pan so we can cook it beside or atop a fire," he says. Patton nods hurriedly and places the dough in the pan, then bringing it to a pile of nearly-stacked charcoal in the center of the room. Roman, washing off the table, watches in fascination as Patton breathes out a plume of flame, lighting the burnt wood and then settling the bread atop it.

"Now we just have to wait?"

"Yep," Roman replies. He scooches over where he's standing against the table and pats the spot next to him, trying to seem nonchalant as Patton settles. Like he isn't keeping track of just how close they are, or how much he kind of wants to hold Patton's hand again.

"I'm glad we met," Patton sighs softly, moving even closer so he can lean against Roman's shoulder, the curl of his horn interlocking perfectly there. "I've had a lot of fun with you, even though it's only been a short time. I can't wait to have more."

Roman softens, the tension that had built leaving a little at a time. He wraps an arm around Patton's shoulder gently and rubs gently.

"I feel the same," he murmurs. "... I wish I could come here more often, but I have a kind of overbearing father. He wants me at the castle all the time to meet new people all the time now, renouncing the freedom he had given before."

"... Castle?" Patton asks, and Roman winces. Well, if there was gonna be a time, Roman might as well see if Patton finds princes delicious now. He thinks he'd pair well with some bread. Or if he's just kidnapped, at least he has bread.

Something like that.

"I'm the secondborn prince of Anders, and my father is the king," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "Father let me wander to assist the peoples of my land with monster-based disputes, but recently he's become more restricting as well as disapproving."

"... That sounds hard," Patton says sympathetically. "I've seen the castle from afar, and it's so big, but I think it looks more like a prison than a home. So many people guarding it and stuff to keep people in."

Roman almost corrects Patton, that the guards are there to keep people out, and then remembers all the times he'd been caught sneaking out of the castle by his father's favored and winces.

"... You're not wrong."

Patton rubs Roman's shoulder with his cheek gently. "Well- we can still have fun, even if you're stuck in the castle. I can always drop by and climb to your window to say hi."

"I have a balcony, with moonflowers on it," Roman says, and then his mind catches up to him. "Wait, I also have a roommate."

"You do? What're they like?"

"He's- is something burning?"

Their gazes snap towards the bread, and Patton quickly breaks away from Roman to check on it.

He pulls the pan out of the fire easily, checking the brown bread, and turns to Roman. "How can we tell if it's burnt?"

Roman digs around in his bag for a moment and then pulls out a knife.

"We'll be able to taste if it's burned too badly," he says, coming towards Patton and pressing the knife into the loaf, then pulling out and inspecting it. "It's definitely done! Come on, put it on the table and I can cut it up for us."

Patton holds the pan as Roman slices the bread, and his pupils grow large as Roman pulls out the first slice of bread, still steaming. Roman can't stop the smile that seeing the catlike expression brings. _So cute._

"It looks so good," Patton manages, and Roman settles the piece on the rest of the loaf to reach into his bag again.

"It'll be even better in a moment. Have you ever had buttered bread?"

Patton blinks, looking at the stick now unveiled from its leather wrappings. "Butter?"

"We make it from cow milk," Roman explains, slathering a generous amount on the removed piece. "Here, try it!"

Patton takes a hesitant bite, chews, and then gobbles down the slice so fast that Roman isn't sure he saw it happen at all. He flushes slightly as Patton darts his tongue out to lick around his mouth, cleaning the butter away.

"Good?" Roman asks after a pause, and Patton bounces eagerly.

"Can I have another? Please!"

The loaf is gone before long, and Roman savors his last bite of bread as they walk back to the main cave, hand in hand once more. Patton chatters on about growing wheat and finding cows to milk, squeezing Roman's hand as he grows more enthusiastic, and Roman feels warm all over, as if they had been cuddling again.

"I can fly you home," Patton offers as they approach the lip of the cave. Roman peers outside. The sun hangs heavy in the sky, the afternoon sun burning bright and hot, and when Roman looks away the image follows his eyes as he turns to Patton once more.

"That does sound nice, but why don't we wait for the sun to set?" he says. "I'm going to have to tell the villagers I'm heading home, and also request they bring my horse to the palace on their next trip to the city market, if I am to fly instead of ride."

Patton grins, and as Roman watches, he slowly changes, nose and mouth pushing into a muzzle once more as his body turns large, four-legged, and heavy once more. It's kind of fascinating.

"That sounds good to me," Patton replies, and Roman nods, putting his pack on and reaching his arms out so Patton can take him to the forest path.

The drop is just as terrifying as before, but Patton pulls up gently, and as they alight on the road, Patton quietly assures Roman he'll wait by the crossroads.

"I'll be back soon," Roman promises, and hurries down the dandelion-flecked path.

It doesn't take long- Roman assures the villagers the dragon will no longer be taking their meals, and they assume he has slain a second time. They promise his horse will be brought back safely and send him on his way with his belongings, wheat seeds, and a pregnant cow, happily.

Roman bids them goodbye as soon as he can and hurries around the village outskirts and back up the path, relieved that the town is safe and that this will all be over soon.

... Well, not all.

"Hey, Patton," Roman calls, and his friend stands and shakes himself off, bringing a startled moo from the cow. Patton stares and gasps.

"You got me a gIFT?!!"

"Her and some seeds for planting, yes- _oof!"_

Patton tackles Roman to the ground and hugs him tightly, and the cow side-eyes them, tugging at her lead in vain hopes she may get away... But Roman doesn't care about that right now.

He hugs Patton back, tight and long.

"You're the sweetest," Patton mumbles into Roman's neck. "Thank you so much, honey."

Roman's cheeks heat, but he pushes it aside to rub his cheek against Patton's lightly, hoping it's a friendly gesture for dragons.

"Honey as in sweet?"

"I didn't even realize!" Patton giggles, nuzzling him back. "You're not only clever, you're the bee's knees."

Roman chuckles, and Patton helps him back up, taking the lead from his hand and bringing the cow to the mountainside, tying her to the same tree Roman had tied Dash to before their first meeting. Roman leaves the seeds in her pack and turns to Patton.

"Ready to take me home?"

He expects Patton to grab his shoulders, but to his surprise, his friend kneels and dips a wing, allowing him access to his spiked back.

"There's a spot near my neck where you can sit," Patton directs, and Roman blinks.

"You want me to--"

"It would be unfair of me to carry you the way I did for a brief drop all the way back home," Patton cuts off, grinning teasingly. "Come on, Roman, my back doesn't bite though I have spikes. They're not that sharp."

Roman carefully slings his leg across Patton's scaly back, finding that the spikes keep him in place and the one before him can be held onto like a saddle. He grips it tight, trying not to think about the fact that he has nothing holding him on Patton's back but that.

"Relax," Patton murmurs, and Roman realizes he's gone rigid on Patton's back. "I will catch you if you fall."

Roman loosens a little, Patton raises his wings, and with a mighty beat and a jump he takes to the air, rough and rocking as a horse does. Roman tries to think of it like that, bobbing his body instead of tensing, and when Patton levels out, he breathes a soft sigh of relief.

"Not bad, right?" Patton says, looking back at Roman from where he's gliding. "I've been getting better doing takeoffs for two."

"You're very powerful," Roman praises. Patton's cheek scales glow, and Roman nearly tells him he's radiant, knowing the dragon would love the pun. But he can't, so instead he tucks the praise carefully into his heart, content to watch his friend's body shimmer into flame in the light of the dying sun, wondering if he is the Icarus to Patton's Apollo, and if they, here, will have a happy ending.

He hopes with all his being they will.

"We're here," Patton says softly, after Roman has slipped into daydreams of time they might spend together, and as he looks up he realizes he's imagined the entire sunset away. The sky is full of endless stars, and Roman gazes at them with wide eyes.

"The sky is beautiful from the heights," he murmurs to himself, and when Patton looks back at him, he shakes himself into the moment and looks down.

"There," he says, pointing towards the proper balcony. "Be careful to land quietly, so the guards don't expect anything."

Patton nods and comes in gently, curving in the night sky until he lands, not too heavily, on the ledge. He carefully helps Roman off his back with a paw, Roman's legs trembling a little.

"Want me to wait for you to be ready?"

"That works," Roman replies, wincing as he stretches out his legs and a thousand tiny pricklings ripple up them. "It won't take too long, they're just asleep."

"Well, you should get with the program," Patton teases. "It's so late!"

Roman snorts, enjoying the sensation of Patton's body rocking with laughter against him. He adores how Patton laughs at his own jokes. So vibrant, so full of joy for life...

The door creaks open on the landing, and suddenly, they're lit by lamplight.

"Well, well, well... What have we here?"

Patton abruptly stops laughing and raises his wings, curling a protective paw over Roman's still-shaky form, and Roman would swoon at Patton's protectiveness if they had been in any other situation.

(Well, maybe he can swoon a little.)

"Stand down," he reassures, patting Patton's flank and shooting the intruder a dirty look. "That's just my brother."

Remus grins right back, expression sharpened by the firelight. "Bringing a living dragon to the castle? My, what would Father say?"

"You don't care, and I don't care, so let's not act as if we do," Roman chastises. His brother snickers.

"Perhaps I do, though! In the time you've gone I _completely_ reformed and now am going to slay your friend and force you to marry off so I can have all the power in the world! I think I would look _dashing_ in a dragonscale cloak."

Patton whines softly. "That's not very nice. Roman deserves to marry who he wants."

"I'm not very nice," Remus says, "But we are in agreement there."

"Yeah thanks for that, but, you're not allowed a dragonscale cloak," Roman huffs, hugging Patton's neck. "Patton is my _friend."_

"Friends are better when you can pick apart and study them. Be it their personality or other types of fun!"

_"No!!"_

Patton shuffles awkwardly. "... I think friends are better when you can hug them and talk to each other about your feelings?"

To Roman's surprise, Remus nods in approval and comes to give Patton a solid slap on the shoulder.

"Good. If you had agreed with me I would have barred you from the castle faster than you could fry an egg."

Roman stares. "Pardon?"

"No, Patton," Patton replies, wary eyes on Remus, who snickers.

"You're a funny guy, Pat! Be careful with my brother on flights like that or I'll rip your wings off and hang them in my future throne room."

Patton's cheek scales turn colorless as he recoils, and Remus giggles and waggles his fingers at him, blowing out the light. "Okay, I'm going to bed. Nighty night! Don't keep my little brother up too late!"

He swaggers inside, and Roman stares after him, shaking his head.

"I sincerely apologize for him," he says, turning to Patton. "I don't know what's going on in his head half the time."

Patton's ears are still half-flat against his neck, but he looks thoughtful.

"I think he cares about you," he says, and Roman snorts.

"It's true, but why say it?"

"Well-" Patton shakes his head, color returning to his cheek scales. "... Just thinking aloud. Thank you for defending me earlier, Roman."

Roman flushes a little and nods. "Of course, Pat. I'm used to him saying stuff like that, but you don't deserve to be intimidated by him. You're wonderful."

Patton's cheek scales start glowing, and Roman swallows.

"I'm very glad to know you."

"I'm glad to know you, too," Patton says softly.

Roman half-feels as if he should say something, anything, to get Patton to stay longer, but the other part of him knows that he's exhausted, and Patton probably is too, and he still needs to bring his cow home.

"Well, goodnight," Roman says, eyes searching Patton's expression. Patton's eyes crinkle as he smiles.

And Roman thinks his smile is starting to lose its terror.

"Goodnight, Roman," Patton responds gently. "Sweet dreams."

Roman watches him glide away on the wind, until he can make him out no longer, and then goes inside to rest.

(His dreams are filled with Patton's lovely laughter.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hurray for Roman realizing he's caught the romance!!
> 
> If you are happy for him, please consider leaving a comment congratulating him!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fellas, is it queer to stargaze together on a moonlit night? just asking haha 😳

Roman hovers at the window, staring out into the night sky eagerly. It's a new moon tonight, and he's ready. Just a bit longer... _There!_

Patton's form cuts between the stars, and he glides to perch on Roman's balcony. Roman hurriedly opens the door to meet him.

"Almost thought you wouldn't make it tonight," Roman says, voice quiet in the night, and Patton chuckles.

"The calves were giving me some issues," he explains. "They're all asleep now, though. You ready?"

"Absolutely," Roman says, easily hopping onto Patton's back when he lowers his wing. "Where we off to?"

"Mmm... Last time we went to that lake, right?" Patton hums. "How does a trip to a nearby valley sound? We'll be able to find a comfy place to rest and stargaze."

"That sounds terrific!" Roman replies, and with that confirmation, Patton easily takes to the sky.

Roman settles into the flying motions with a soft sigh, scratching at Patton's neck and feeling his dragon friend rumble contentedly at the feeling. Every half a moon since Roman had visited Patton's cave last, Patton had shown up on Roman's balcony, to talk at first and then to take him away on trips to locations hidden from the human eye. They had visited meadows, cities, tunnels, and more, many full of creatures Roman had heard of in storybooks but never seen. It was fantastic... and with each visit, Roman couldn't help but grow ever-closer to his friend. Patton was clever, even if silly at times, and Roman had found himself falling further for him with each little pun and playful gesture.

There are no storybook snippets of perfection, but Roman is quickly finding that the idea of perfect is overrated. Who needs a perfect human lover when you can hold the sweetest being you know?

And while Patton's charming personality has drawn him in... Roman finds that Patton's form has become more attractive to his eye as well. Muscled wings, and claws that could tear and rip, only to be hidden in paws that could trace down his body and bring a different sort of fire with their touch. A broad, powerful body that could warm him on the coldest nights, and teeth that might just be able to scrape down the column of his neck and--

Roman lets out an involuntary noise of pleasure, and slaps a hand over his mouth, making sure Patton hasn't heard him before settling.

... And his eyes. Patton's eyes are almost hypnotic, a dark, warm brown, soft as warmed chocolate and stunning as the deepest of brown moonstones Roman owned. All of Patton's emotions reflect in his eyes, and Roman thinks they may just be his favorite things to look at in the whole world- nay, universe.

"Here we go," Patton says softly, flying down to graze his claws along in the long tangles of grass. Roman looks over his wing to see rolling hills all about them, covered in flowers all waving in the breeze, with rivers and trees trailing through the valleys below. Above them, the stars are more brilliant than any night in the city, and all around the crickets are singing and fireflies floating.

"Do you wanna be up top, or down in the lower parts?"

"Above gives a clearer view of the skies," Roman says absentmindedly, eyes still catching on all their surroundings, blue-toned in the little night light. Patton bobs his body and slowly comes to a halt on a big outcrop of earth overhanging one of the deepest valleys. Roman slips off his back, easy as breathing, and Patton shrinks down and offers him a paw.

"There's a spot here that's just perfect," he says, voice almost swallowed up in the night air. "Here..."

He guides Roman to an area surrounded by smaller boulders that break the wind, so inside it's warm, and even warmer once Roman cuddles against his side. Roman props himself up slightly and grins at Patton, whose cheeks are aglow like the fireflies about them.

"I know the names of the stars well enough from my studies," he says, squeezing Patton's paw between them. "Want me to point them out?"

"Go ahead," Patton murmurs, curious, and Roman settles down, hand at the ready.

"Up there is the Peacock," he says, pointing at a collection of stars shaped like a lowercase j, almost, the brightest star where the dot would be. "It is a guide for travelers who are following the North, especially in places with vast iron deposits. And to the left of it, we have the Twins... the story around that constellation states that they're grabbing each others' ankles, always fighting for power. Some say that people born under those stars are ambitious, where others just take the story as a warning on to be kind to your family, because the tale doesn't end well for either twin, even when Corin thinks he's won."

"I've always seen it as a big dragon eye rather than twins fighting," Patton hums. "Cause it's a circle with the line in the middle."

"I can see that," Roman says softly. "... Your eyes are prettier, though."

Patton giggles, and Roman's cheeks heat at the admission and Patton's expression, bordering on something soft.

"Um, over there you can see the Serpent!" he chuckles nervously. "It's not a land one, but a big ocean dragon, with fins branching off of its sides."

Patton snuggles into Roman's side and Roman tries to remember the story through his flusteredness. "The serpent nearly ended the world with a tsunami so large the land was almost completely gone, so for their crimes their beautiful silver scales were turned into stars, scattered through the sky."

Patton hums. "Sea dragons aren't that powerful. Maybe a group of them could make one? But it's the Ancient Mer you _really_ need to be wary of."

"Ancient Mer?"

"They live in the deepest abysses of the sea," Patton murmurs. "They move very slowly, because they do not wish to bring destruction to the world above, but if they were to come to the surface and be angered by what they saw there? Many would perish."

"Wow," Roman says, voice soft. "... There is so much I don't know, huh?"

"Well, there's lots I don't know either," Patton chuckles, grinning and squeezing Roman's hand. "But we know some stuff between us, and we can teach each other."

Roman flushes and rubs his thumb across the back of Patton's paw gently, hardly able to look away from him even as he himself is burning up. Would Patton's fire feel this way?... Would his touch on Roman's skin?

And - though he would never admit to it - a little something in the back of Roman's mind whispers that it might be nice to stay out here with Patton forever. No castle, no threats of marriage, no responsibilities but to be with his friend and learn to cook together. Adventures day in and day out.

Roman shuts the whisper down with a shake of the head and continues to point out constellations to Patton, even as his mind wanders.

He has to be there for his brother, and he's safe in the castle. Father wouldn't disrespect Remus' wishes and marry Roman off.

(Nevermind that if it was Roman doing the asking, he would be long gone.)

Adventures every now and again rather than all the time is fine, too. Roman will savor his freedom when he can get it, and he will savor his time with Patton as a friend.

Patton is leaning up with fascination in his eyes, pointing to the stars and tracing out shapes, and as he turns to Roman, Roman feels his heart stutter.

As a _friend._ Patton wouldn't be interested in a human at all.

... Right?

He thinks back to the time he had been told by Father that he would be married off, how he had tearily told his brother that it was too late, that Father would never change his mind. Remus had set his jaw and said that... Roman wouldn't know for sure if it was too late until he tried all the options to get away from his fate. Remus had pleaded on his behalf, and Roman was given his freedom, which he still has today.

Roman hadn't tried all the options in this situation yet, so he does not know for sure if Patton might be able to feel that way for him or not. And if Roman can feel romantically and- _other_ ways, for Patton...

Isn't there the slightest chance that Patton might be able to feel that way for him?

"You good?" Patton asks, looking at Roman curiously. "You're being a little quiet, Roman."

"Fine," Roman manages. "Go on?"

Patton begins tracing again, and Roman goes back to his thoughts.

 _How would one ask out a dragon?_ he wonders, gazing at the freckled, star-like scales on Patton's cheeks, still glowing in the night. _Are there courtship ritual flights, like the eagles? Is it based on each person's wants like humans?_

If it's the latter, he could easily work towards the perfect pun to ask Patton out. He has lots of trinkets in his room that he could give as a wooing gift, wondering if Patton would like to be his treasured one.

On the flip side, if he tried flying with Patton, he might need to purchase some form of glider... but he'd probably bash his face on the rocky mountainside as he's never even practiced. And if fire-breathing is involved to see if the mate is healthy, he could _never_ manage that.

Roman sincerely hopes Patton doesn't want something he cannot do.

"You're not even looking at the stars anymore, silly," Patton giggles, licking Roman's nose. Roman comes back to the moment and touches his nose gingerly.

"Well," he says softly, "The view I have here is even better."

Patton's cheek scales _blaze,_ bathing them both in a warm white glow, and Roman suddenly realizes that Patton is _blushing._

He has a chance.

He might even have Patton's feelings in his favor.

"You're the sweetest," Patton replies, voice soft and full of something warm Roman dares not put a name to, not yet. He squeezes Patton's hand gently.

"Look who's talking," he teases. "You may think it’s me, but you're the one who’s so sweet you might just be honey."

The _will you bee my honey?_ he holds back for the moment. He can do more for Patton, so much more.

Next time.

Patton giggles and pulls Roman to sit up with him, giving him a great big hug, and Roman hugs back tight.

"I like stargazing with you," he tells Patton, rocking him gently in his arms. "We should do this again sometime."

"We should!" Patton cheers, pulling back and looking at the sky with a sigh. "Too bad the night slips by so quickly, huh?"

"Agreed," Roman murmurs. "Your company is better than most anything I could get at the castle."

Patton giggles again and pulls Roman up into a stand so they can exit the little hollow.

"You always have so many kind words to say," he says as he starts to transform, growing larger, broader, more beastlike once more. "I'm so happy I found you on my mountain."

Roman feels as if his heart does a flip in his chest, and he climbs onto Patton's back, holding on as Patton raises his wings to take to the skies again.

He's fallen hard, and he can't see any way this feeling could ever be spoiled.

"Me, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well gee, Roman, I can't see any reason why that feeling would be spoiled!
> 
> :)
> 
> If you're looking forward to Roman confessing, please consider leaving a comment guessing what he's going to give Patton as a courting gift!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman is eager to confess.

Roman heaves himself over the rocks, aching a little but knowing he'll be able to climb the mountain- Patton had been working to carve the non-path portion into something a human could climb, and Roman was grateful.

He pats the bag on his back to make sure it's still secure and makes his way up another few meters.

_Today is the day._

Patton hadn't invited him over, but Roman knows he doesn't mind an unannounced visit, and everyone knows that the best way to ask someone to be yours is through a dramatic and sudden declaration of love! 

... At least, that's how the actors and books showed it. The courtship of royalty is all paperwork and paintings, but Roman hopes that his preference for passion is also Patton's own.

Earlier that day, he had packed all he needed for his plan to woo Patton- false flowers, an old toy soldier, one of his many stuffed animals, and his favorite craggy-pearl necklace for gifts; some of the finest bread prepared by the best baker in the castle; and poems to sing the praise of his dear draconic darling. They sit securely in the bag on his back, and Roman hopes nothing is being crushed in the movement of the climb...

He's almost there now, climbing onto the ledge Patton had taken him from first, and then running up the newly-finished upper path, all the way to Patton's cave.

He slows when he gets close to it, not wanting to startle his friend. However, once he listens... _is Patton talking to someone else in there?_

Roman quietly creeps the rest of the way to the mouth of the cave and peers in.

Inside, Patton is bustling about, rearranging his trinkets busily. He hums as he works, a song with an odd tune Roman recognizes as a draconic one Patton had sung to him on an earlier outing.

"Honey-Dee," Patton calls out, nuzzling at a little wooden dragon that almost appears to nuzzle back. Roman blinks. Did he mishear the word honeybee, directed at him?

"Yes, Patton?"

Apparently not.

Patton giggles and sets the wood dragon down, turning towards the bathing cave. "Are you done washing your fruits? I wanna give my favorite homemate some cuddles, you've been gone so long!"

Roman stares at Patton. He had never mentioned a housemate had he... he had talked about someone named Dee several times, but not that they lived together.

 _Or that they cuddled._ Roman attempts to shove the jealousy back down. Just because Patton cuddles with someone else doesn't mean it's something! Patton is entitled to cuddles, and hey, he hasn't even confessed yet, so it's not as if Patton means harm... or even knows Roman's there.

Right.

"Patience, my dear," comes the voice again, and Roman nearly shivers. It's rather deep and smooth, sliding around the air like a snake down the limb of their keeper. Does the person match their tone? "I'm finishing the plums right now."

Patton flops over into his little hollow of pillows and whines. "Deeeeeeedeeeeeeee!!"

"Paaaaaaaattyyyyyyyyyy," Dee(?) replies, sarcastic note in their voice. "The more you whine, the longer I shall take."

"Oh no! How will I survive!" Patton gasps, clasping his paws to his breast, and Roman suppresses a laugh. Patton is as adorable when he's acting as he is any other time.

"I will heal you when I come in, dear," Dee(?) says smoothly, and Patton giggles madly.

"No, please, anything but your cures!"

"Well, if you're dying for my company..."

"I'm not, I'm not!"

The person gasps. "Why, _Patton,_ I'm hurt! You don't long for my cuddles every waking moment of your day?"

"No," Patton says softly, rolling onto his belly in the pillows. "I long for you every sleeping moment too."

Roman ducks his head out and takes another moment to grapple his jealousy, only to hear a noise akin to glass being set onto a table, and quickly looks back in.

And he freezes.

The creature that enters is long, and jagged. Drawn in fine lines, but the way those lines curve and twist along their muscles shows that this is no delicate creature. Ribs jut out of their side and their spine is clearly visible through their back, knobbly and painful-looking. Their horn is long, a clear blue-white that ends in a wickedly sharp point, and their hooves are the same material, cut like diamonds. Their tail is thin and mouselike until it vanishes into a poof of long, mane fur, and it and their mane are blued, almost lush but nearly brittle. One side of their face is mottled with something like tree rot, but silver as the moon.

And their eyes are yellow, not warm and sunny, but cold and solid, no pupils to be seen.

Roman feels like they could read him from the inside out.

_A unicorn._

No wonder he had gotten a Hunter's letter about one. This one hasn't even seen him, and Roman is already trembling.

"Just as I long for you, my love," the unicorn says gently, and their flat teeth appear sharper than a grazer's have any right to be, really.

_... Love?_

Patton beams, cheeks glowing, and sits up to nuzzle at the unicorn's muzzle, and Roman feels his heart lurch.

"Can we cuddle now, Dee?" Patton asks gently, rolling onto his back once more and reaching up to wrap his forelegs around Dee's neck loosely. "I missed you lots, you've been out and about so much recently, and I know it's the travel season for you, but..."

Dee chuckles and licks at Patton's mouth, settling onto his stomach, and Roman lets out a broken noise as he withdraws, clutching at his heart and trying desperately not to cry.

It looks like Patton doesn't feel the same as him, after all.

 _If only I had known from the beginning,_ Roman thinks, pain clouding his thoughts as tears begin to roll down his cheeks. He lets out a quiet sob, chest aching. _Then I wouldn't have gotten my hopes up._

He should be happy being Patton's friend.

_How can love hurt so badly?_

He overhears the pair standing and quickly runs down the trail once more, using a rope to clamber back down the mountainside as swift as he can, hands shaking, heat crowding behind his eyes and blurring his vision too much to climb down the same way he came up. When he reaches the lower path, he rips the rope down and stuffs it in his pack, the hot lump in his throat painful from holding back his wails.

 _Patton is in love with someone else_ and Roman wishes it wouldn't ache, not like this, not this much. He throws his bags, uncaring about how the items inside fare, over Dash’s rump, and barely manages to choke out the command to go _home_ before breaking down into sobs, holding the reins in light-knuckled hands as his horse begins to run.

He can't be here right now.

And he can't bring himself to look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> (Questions, comments, long sobbing messages about heartbreak? The comment button is always available ;) )


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman learns to think things through and has some important talks.  
> (Remus gets into a bit of trouble.)
> 
> Shoutout to centreoftheselights for major help in settling some of the plot in this chapter!! <3 <3

The next day, Roman is suiting up, ready to go out. The second message, a few months old now, lays face-up on his desk.

_Unicorn wanted for attempting to stab a child. Please come to help._

Roman had written them back to explain that that was how unicorns healed those around them, but they had simply requested he come again, claiming its intent was malicious.

If it was bad enough for them to send twice, it's bad enough for him to hunt a unicorn.

(No matter how much the little voice in the back of his mind tells him it's a bad idea. That something could go wrong. This village is far from Patton's, it won't be his mate. And the people need help.)

... Right?

Roman stares at the note for a few moments longer, and then sighs heavily and takes off his chainmail, throwing it aside. He strips off every bit of armor and every weapon, laying them out neatly on Remus' bed, and then flings himself onto his and buries his head in the pillows and _screams._

 _What on earth is he doing??!_ He can't just go out and kill someone because he feels bad about Patton having a lover already, what is _wrong_ with him?! This unicorn was trying to help, not hurt, and Roman ought to be doing the same!!

... Even if the person he's helping is himself.

Roman takes a deep breath for another scream, but instead lets it out in a long, painful sigh.

He shouldn't be lashing out. He'll stop himself here, and instead, he can work to calm himself enough to be in a better mindset than this. For his sake as well as others'.

Perhaps Father would permit a picnic rather than a hunt?

It's been eons since he's had a proper picnic, but Roman, all of a sudden, really, really wants to be somewhere where he cannot cause any damage, even by accident.

Or… perhaps he ought to resolve the villager’s request by going and speaking to them directly, so that no more requests about this unicorn can come in. Just to be safe, and so they stop sending him letters. He can use the picnic as an excuse to mediate.

Getting the message through their thick skulls might help give him a distraction as well, so really it’s a win-win.

Remus comes in, whistling merrily with a box in his arms, and Roman stands up. "Hey, Re- do you wanna go on a picnic with me?"

"No can do!" Remus chirps, shuffling the box around and looking left and right in a show of shiftiness. "I have many plans for today, brother, plans which no one can know."

He wiggles his brows, and Roman groans. "Ew, I don't _want_ to know. Alright, I'm going out on a picnic by myself, so if you're looking for me I'm in the eastern branch of the woods, in the town of Hunigton, alright?"

"Gotcha!" Remus says, shoving the weapons haphazardly off his bed and setting the box down, wiggling his fingers. "Stay out nice and long and breathe some pixie dust in!"

"For the last time, pixies aren't the thing that makes you feel good going outside, it's the trees--"

"Which are inhabited by pixies!"

"Why do I even bother."

Remus winks. "Because I'm your favorite brother too!"

Roman snorts a little and shakes his head, and waves to Remus as he leaves the room, letting the door swing shut behind him. Time to head to the kitchens... Roman needs some strawberry shortcake to drown his sorrows in.

And maybe some pie.

Roman makes his way to them easily, knocking on the door to give warning before opening it and smiling tiredly at the cooks bustling about.

"Hello, all."

"Your Highness!" the head cook says, looking up from her stew with a grin. "What can we get for you this time."

"Is my favorite baker here?"

One of the younger cooks grins and points to the supply closet. "He's right in there, sir. Have you eaten lunch already?"

"It's a sweets day," Roman admits, and the entire group mumbles amongst themselves worriedly for a moment. The door to the supply closet cracks open and the baker comes out, carrying a bowl and some flour in their hands.

"Hey, Violet," Roman grins, feeling slightly better just from seeing her face. "You have any treats for me today?"

Violet immediately stops, giving Roman a Look.

"I think I have something in the back for you," they say, and shift the bowl to one hand so they can take Roman's in the other, leading him to the separate desserts room and setting down the supplies on the counter.

"Do you need a hug?"

Roman bites back a sob and tries to swallow the sudden lump in his throat.

"Yes, please."

Violet pulls him into a tight hug, and Roman lets out a short, aching breath before melting into it, hugging her back just as tightly.

"You wanna talk about it?" he offers Roman, and Roman shudders.

"Is... is it normal to get so upset from envy you want to hurt someone who's innocent, and then you feel really bad about it afterwards?"

"It does happen," Violet acknowledges. "... You good?"

"... Better, now that you're hugging me," Roman says quietly. "I feel really bad for feeling that way, though."

"Well, are you going to hurt them?"

"No, of course not," Roman says, but remembering the want to- to hurt the other unicorn over something they weren't even involved in makes his chest ache. "But for a moment- it felt like I was really going to do it."

Violet pulls back enough to give him a reassuring smile.

"Roman, remember that a thought is just a thought, and the fact that you're so upset about it shows that you wouldn't actually have gone through with it."

"I was getting ready to..."

"But you thought it through and realized it would have been bad," Violet says gently. "It doesn't reflect on your person. You know what does?"

Roman hesitates, and she pulls an arm from the hug to boop his nose.

"The fact that you're hurting for thinking it is a testament to the fact that you're not like that at all."

Roman pauses. "I..."

"Hey, I think bad stuff too, but you wouldn't say I'm a bad person, right?" they laugh. Roman startles.

"Of course not!" he protests. "You're like- a really wonderful big sibling."

"Awwwww, Roman!!"

"And goodness knows the kingdom would flourish under your rule," Roman adds, and Violet sticks his tongue out.

"Careful! I don't want anyone to know of my secret plan to take over the world yet," Violet teases, and Roman gives them a small grin.

"Thanks, Vi," he says softly, and Violet hugs him tight all over again.

"Anytime, Ro."

They stay like that for long enough that Roman's legs get itchy, but eventually, Roman detaches himself, and Violet smiles at him.

"Now. What can I get for you, Roman?"

"Can I have a few white chocolate cookies, some blueberry pie, and strawberry shortcake with the drizzle on the side, in a picnic-safe container?" Roman requests, and Violet claps his hands together. 

"You're in luck, I made some blueberry pies fresh this morning. Want some chicken pot pie as well, just in case you start feeling good enough for some non-sweets as well?"

"Sure," Roman agrees, and Violet busies herself putting together a basket for him.

He leans up against the wall and lets out a soft sigh, feeling... well, a whole heck of a lot better. This picnic is sure to help things, too, but it's always nice to talk things through with a friend.

When Violet finishes the basket, Roman gives him one last hug, thanks him, and exits, humming as he goes.

...

Roman practically collapses onto his picnic blanket in his eagerness to sit after the long walk it took to get to his picnic spot from the nearby town, the blanket fluffy and welcoming. Talking with the townspeople had been _exhausting_ , and Roman is glad for the time to himself to recover. It took three slightly different explanations of just what a unicorn horn did before they gave up pressing him to kill it, plus showing that the child was actually in perfect health, and then it had turned out the town’s head’s wife had simply wanted a _unicorn skin dress_ . Roman still can’t believe it. _Some people… Unicorns are endangered, and they would even demand more._

The trees around him rustle in the slight wind, and Roman breaks from his thoughts. _Right, relaxing_. All around him, it smells of earth and growing things. He flips over to look at the skies. The clouds drift by slowly, and he points out the shapes in his mind.

It's been years since he's picnicked with his family, but the cloud watching is still something he and his brother do when they get the chance. Remus would never miss the opportunity to point out something phallic.

"Time for some goodies," Roman mumbles, sitting up and pulling the basket over to himself. To start with the mouthwatering blueberry pie, or the shortcake he's craved for so long?

The smell of the pot pie drifts up to him, and his stomach growls.

Roman supposes it would be better to start with that first, then.

He pulls it out, blowing on it though it's really only warm now, and digs in.

It reminds him a bit of Patton's soup...

Roman shakes himself to clear the thought. _No._ Thinking about his heartache nearly caused one bad thing, and he will _not_ ruin his picnic with sadness. He could... set out a few blueberries from the dessert pie and see if they attract any critters! Yeah!

He does that and tries to focus on watching for nearby animals as he eats, shooing away ants and glancing around the small clearing for anything that might be passing by. At one point, a crow flies down to inspect them, and Roman holds his breath...

It gobbles down the berries and then flies at Roman, demanding his pot pie, and Roman squawks. "Hey! Get your own!"

"Caw!!" the crow says, greedy talons clutching for the pie as Roman hunches over it. He tries to push it away with the butt of his sword.

"Go away, stop trying to steal my food!!"

"Caw, caw!"

"You already got some blueberries!"

A particularly loud rustle of wind comes, and the crow leaps, taking to the skies once more and cawing what Roman doesn't doubt are insults as he flies.

"And don't come back, you fiend!!" he yells, shaking his fist at the crow's tail feathers, and then pulls his basket closer and closed. No more blueberries for anyone but himself.

The loud rustle comes again, and Roman realizes he doesn't feel even the faintest breath of wind.

"If that is a puma or predator behind me," Roman says as regal-calmly as he can, "I promise you I'm not the thing that smells delicious. It's my pot pie."

He holds it up, only to instantly regret it when _something_ steps forward and sniffs at the pie with interest.

"Please don't kill me," he squeaks. To his surprise, the creature behind him _chuckles._

"I would never do such a thing. It would upset Patton. He's quite attached to you, you know."

Roman freezes.

"Of course, if you were to do something such as attempt to slay him, I might do it then," the voice continues. "But something tells me that's no longer your plan, hmmm? You have quite a different view on him, enough so that you've both been gallivanting around half the continent as if you're human married already."

Roman finds his own voice. "I- I wouldn't kill him, there was a misunderstanding with the village thinking he was a danger, and- human married?? I didn't know he had a lover, I'm sorry, but that was friendly, not romantic!"

"Hmm," the voice says. "You can put your pot pie down, now."

Roman quickly does, glad to find it all intact, and then has a moment of thinking just how ridiculous it is to be thinking of that in this situation, when the voice interrupts him once more.

"Patton will be disappointed to hear your lack of romantic intentions," they say, and Roman feels as if he's been struck by lightning. "He was so certain you had been flirting back."

"Excuse me," Roman says faintly. "What??"

"I said--"

"I heard you," Roman cuts him off, turning to face the unicorn, Dee, still as terror-inspiring as yesterday, but he will _not_ be cowed. "But _what?_ It was clear as day Patton loves you, and- how did you even know who I--"

"We saw you flee yesterday," Dee says dryly. "Kind of hard to forget it when Patton spends the rest of our time together worrying over you and wondering if he should have told you about his romantic inclinations earlier.”

Roman can barely think. "So he loves you- he loves you, and--"

"He is one of the sorts of people who can have more than one person he loves," Dee states, taking a seat and leaning down to address Roman face-to-face. "Most dragons are, or simply don't have as firm attachments, makes their lives easier come certain events. I have known he was planning to pursue you since the day after you first met, and he had my full permission to do so."

"He..." Roman swallows. "He loves me?"

"He likes you well enough in a romantic sense to love you, yes," Dee says evenly. "Though if you wished to remain friends, I'm sure he would be pleased about that as well."

Roman sets his pie on his lap and buries his face in his hands. 

_Communication._ Father always pushed for communication with neighboring kingdoms first when something off happened, and most of the time it was resolved with an explanation. He should have gone in and _talked_ to them.

"Don't attack yourself for running, if that's what you're doing," Dee sighs. "Goodness knows I would have done the same if I were in your shoes, or worse and challenged the other person to a fight then and there, unheeding of Patton's words. You are clearly doing your best to avoid hurting him."

Roman peeks back up at him, shame-faced. "... And... you're not mad at me?"

Dee snorts and flicks his mane, yellow eyes still piercing, but somehow gentler, as if he's delicately peeling back the layers of Roman's soul instead of stabbing into it with his horn.

"I know Patton loves me," he says smoothly. "I have no issues with him bringing another lover into our lives, so long as you aren't attempting to push me away from him."

Roman shakes his head quickly. "I would never do that."

"Then we're fine," Dee chuckles. 

The tension seems to slowly seep out of the clearing, Roman relaxing at Dee's honesty. He gives Dee a small grin, and then glances at Dee's horn and remembers what brought him here in the first place.

"Hey, uh, I came here to calm the town who wanted me to hunt a unicorn just for healing a kid. Stab anyone lately?"

Dee's expression shutters off from coming open to cold once more, and Roman winces. Perhaps he shouldn't have asked _now..._

"I'm not going to hurt you, I know unicorns heal using their horn, I just wanted to know if it was someone el--"

"Roman," Dee interrupts, and Roman flinches at the change of tone, much more serious than gentle.

"... Yes?"

Dee notices Roman's nervousness and takes a breath, lowering his head some, and the next time he speaks his voice is still serious, but a little quieter.

"I did have one last thing I meant to ask you."

Roman swallows hard. "Go ahead."

Dee’s eyes are boring into him again, and Roman has to struggle not to shrink into himself.

"... Are you going to stop hunting mythics?”

Roman grimaces, feeling awkward and ashamed all at once. "It's not as if I do it often, I- I only hunt when they're stealing from or hurting humans."

"But do you give the death sentence to human thieves?" Dee says, a little stiff and all quiet. "Do you kill someone simply for being where they aren't supposed to, or those who haven't killed?"

Roman wilts under Dee's gaze.

"... No..."

"I hope you see my point," Dee says, lowering his head so his horn sways a little closer to Roman, and Roman swallows. "Do consider a change in how you address monsters you're sent to hunt? Many of us will speak if not approached with sword in hand."

Roman nods, shame and upset seeping together in his chest, and Dee relaxes a bit, moving to his feet.

"Thank you for listening," he says smoothly. "I hope you understand... and I hope that I will see you around?"

Roman looks up at him, surprised to see how... gentle Dee's smile is.

"... I think I do, and I will see you," he says softly, and Dee inclines his head.

"Until next time, then, Roman. Have a good meal."

"Bye," Roman replies, voice quiet in the calm of the woods, and Dee vanishes into the trees.

Roman stares after him, an odd feeling of peace settling over his body.

He's done things that have hurt others in the past, but... those around him are willing to give him another chance. He can change, and he's not alone in it.

... and Patton loves him.

_Patton loves him._

Roman can better himself for himself, and because he doesn't want to harm those he loves and who love him. He can, and he will do better.

He lets out a contented sigh and picks up his pot pie, cold now, but still good, and lies back on the blankets.

_"Caw!!"_

"Oh, for the stars' sakes--"

...

Roman arrives back home to the castle, feeling much better than when he left, only to find it guarded by several more people than before, many of them looking on-edge.

"Prince Roman! You're safe!" the captain of the guard calls, and Roman brings his horse to a halt.

"Is something the matter?"

"There was an assassination attempt directed at your brother, sir," the captain calls back, and Roman feels the blood drain from his face. "He's safe, but the King has ordered a lockdown of the castle, and all of the visiting delegates are being sent home until this is sorted out."

"Where is Remus?" Roman demands, dismounting and passing the reins to one of the knights, and the captain grabs one of the younger guard's shoulders.

"Escort his Highness to his brother and make sure he gets there safely," he instructs, and the guard nods. Roman quickly falls into step behind them as they lead him through the castle, his hands shaking.

Remus could have _died._ Roman wasn't there to protect him. He was out playing diplomat for a village's plea that had really just been a selfish request.

They finally reach the innermost room of the castle, a royal medics, one with no windows so no weapons may reach them, and the outside is swarming with guards. Roman charges forward before his escort can even bow and flings open the door.

"How badly is he hurt?!"

The doctor startles and nearly drops a tray of ice cream, and Roman looks around wildly until his eyes fall on Father, who stands beside the only occupied bed.

"He's got a sprained wrist, my prince," the doctor tells him, but Roman can barely hear it. He practically sprints to Remus' side and stands over him, arms spread as if to hug or block an arrow or both.

Remus gives him a wild grin. "Let me tell you, nothing makes your heart pound like nearly getting knifed and being pushed down a flight of stairs!"

 _"Remus,"_ Roman croaks, and collapses half onto him, burying his face in his brother's shoulder to hide his tears. "Stop, don't laugh it off, you're not allowed to die."

Remus' laughter cuts off, and he brings his uninjured hand up to rub Roman's back reassuringly.

"Hey," he says gently. "I'm okay, see? Just a bit of a sprain, and I get hurt all the time."

Roman pulls back enough to look and find the tear over Remus' chest where the knife nearly nicked him and sobs. "This isn't something I can just brush off! I wasn't here when you needed me!"

"I had the guards, Roman," Remus chides, "Don't blame yourself. Was your picnic fun?"

"His picnic, fun or not, will not happen again," Father says shortly, and Roman, chest aching, throat burning, nods. "You both need to stay in the castle to be _safe."_

"Safe my ass," Remus growls, his hold on Roman tightening. "This gives assassins one place to target, rather than us travelling about randomly. You just want to control Roman's entire life."

"That is _enough,_ Remus, I don't wish to argue when you clearly need rest," Father replies, mouth pulled tight. "We can discuss this in the morning."

"You're not slick, I know you'll just not come here," Remus scowls. "Roman can stay in with us while we work to execute the assassin, but he deserves to make his own choices."

"In the _morning,"_ Father growls, and Roman flinches and returns his head to Remus' shoulder as Father turns and leaves, muffling his sobs.

Remus begins to rub his back again.

"'M sorry about leaving," Roman manages, and Remus pokes him.

"Don't you dare fall into believing he's right, Ro, he just wants you in one place for his plans. You are free to go wherever you want, you hear me?"

Roman pulls back, tears still running down his cheeks as he shakes his head, and Remus softens.

"Hey, I'm not kicking you out... I don't really want you to leave right now, either. I just don't want you to beat yourself up over this, okay? You deserve your freedom and your friendships. A silly little thing like someone trying to stab me shouldn't hold you back from those... Got it?"

"I'm sorry, but an assassi-assassination attempt isn't _silly,"_ Roman chokes out. "I love you, Remus. I don't think I could live with myself if you died while I was off flir- making friends with people. I'm not- I'm not leaving your side, you hear me?"

Remus pauses - Roman _knows_ he recognized the word flirting - and then lets out a sigh and tugs Roman back down into the hug.

"... We can talk about this once we're in our room, okay? There's more I want to tell you without..."

He taps 'doctor' onto Roman's shoulder in morse, and Roman nods, crying into Remus' shirt.

"I love you too, Ro," Remus says quietly. "I'm glad you're here now."

Roman tightens his grip and wishes nothing will ever make him leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :))
> 
> Two steps forward, one step back.
> 
> If you're enjoying seeing me toy with Roman's emotions, please consider leaving a comment!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman isn't done learning lessons quite yet.

"So..." Roman says, looking at Remus, who is now situated on his bed and drinking a caramel milk. It had been a few days since the assassination attempt, the villain had been caught and was being held in jail, and the twins finally had a moment to themselves. Even alone, though, Roman knows he's more than capable of defending his brother from attack.

Roman rubs his arms. "What did you need to tell me?"

Remus takes a long sip of his drink and then sets it aside beside the mouse cage, looking up at Roman with a grin.

"Roman, I'm a genius," he announces grandly, wriggling into his sheets. "You know the Visitors?"

"The what? The emissaries from Sylva?"

"Yes, yes, them." Remus waves his hand flippantly. "I wanted to tell you so that you knew you are free to go, but the assassination attempt was fake."

Roman stills. Remus, oblivious, goes on. "They were getting too cozy here and I couldn't allow things to go any further, so I pulled out my little box of mischief, hired a man who has a generic face and can escape, we conducted an act in the middle of the castle, and voila! They're gone and you can do whatever you want now!"

He opens his arms to Roman, beaming. "No need to thank me, but I totally want you to."

Roman takes in a tight breath and lets it out again, but his voice is still shaky when he speaks.

"I cannot believe you," he says, jabbing a finger at Remus. "You faked it?? So you could have some time off from helping Father with the ambassadors? You are actually the worst, I was terrified for you!"

"Roman--" Remus tries, but Roman cuts him off.

"You can't talk your way out of this one, Remus, you don't just get to jerk me and the whole castle around for your own desires!"

"Roman, please," Remus begs, and Roman feels a little stab of guilt because he knows his brother has issues with rejection but this is _really_ not okay and sometimes Remus needs it said firmly to not do it again. Roman crosses to the door.

"No, don't try to explain yourself, I think you've said enough. I'm going out," he says, voice short, and he shuts the door behind him before Remus can get out another word.

... He needs some time away from this place.

...

Roman reaches the base of Patton's mountain in record time, tying his horse to the same tree. Patton's cows wander over to greet him, and Roman gives them a scratch before looking back up at the mountain. He's relieved to see the mountain path is now extended all the way to the top. He climbs the path quickly, and when he reaches the cave he pauses.

"Patton, are you in there?"

He hears some frantic-sounding shuffling, and then Patton sticks his head out of the mouth of the cave and looks over at him, grinning. "Hey, Roman, what's up?"

Roman rubs the back of his neck, at a loss for all the words he had planned out on the ride.

"... Can I come in?" he asks quietly, and Patton's expression turns concerned.

"Are you okay, hon?"

"Yes, I am, I just," Roman looks at his feet. "Something came up with my brother... I figured here was the safest place to be, aside from the castle. He knows all of my hiding places, you see."

"Aw, Ro," Patton says softly. He leads Roman inside, and Roman gives Dee, who is sorting some trinkets, an awkward wave. Dee lifts his hoof to return it.

"Is your brother threatening you?" he asks, and Roman snorts a little.

"No, not today at least. Though it's always a joke... He did something else he shouldn't have."

"Do you wanna talk it out?" Patton asks, sliding over a firmer pillow for Roman to sit on, and Roman does so with a sigh.

"Yes, please."

Dee goes back to the trinkets, an ear still tilted towards them, and Patton sits across from Roman, his eyes on him. Roman rubs the back of his neck again.

"So... recently, we had visitors from another kingdom at the castle, right? They were getting cozy and it meant he and I had a few more responsibilities there, though his time was more occupied with them since he's the crown prince... And there was an assassination attempt that sent them home, against my brother, but..."

Patton squeezes Roman's arm. "That's awful, is he okay?"

"He has a sprained wrist, and he's perfectly fine because he planned it," Roman spits. "He told me that he did it because he wanted them to leave! Probably to get out of work. I had felt awful because I had been gone and thought he could have been hurt when he was away and it was all because of his _selfishness!!"_

Patton covers his mouth with a paw. "Oh, that sounds terrible. Roman, you must be so hurt."

"Did he say anything else?" Dee asks before Roman can reply, now looking at them, and Roman frowns.

"... He wanted me to thank him for it. Said that I could do whatever I wanted, but it was clear he did it for himself."

"Was it planned out?"

Roman pauses.

"He did say that he brought out his box of mischief, which he only uses for planned pranks and such- Where are you going with this?"

Dee tilts his head.

"Did you give him a chance to explain his reasons? If it was simply for himself, it doesn't add up that he would tell you, and a larger-scale plan like this doesn't seem like something anyone would do to have less responsibilities, not without a deeper reason than wanting to get out of tasks. That could have been resolved by him pretending to fall ill, a much less drastic way to get out of work, that affects less people. A trick like that puts too much at risk, including his own freedom."

Patton nods a little. "Those are some good points... Deedee knows all about tricking people to get out of responsibilities."

 _"Patton,"_ Dee hisses, and part of Roman feels like laughing at the embarrassment in his tone.

The other part of Roman doesn't feel very much like laughing at all.

"... I didn't stick around," Roman says quietly. "I- I was too angry to want to hear his case."

Dee hums. "Perhaps you ought to go back to him and ask before jumping to any conclusions, then?"

Patton licks Roman's forehead tenderly. "I can fly you back, and stay on the ledge in case you want to leave, if that works?

Roman nods, feeling even shakier than when he left the castle.

"Yes, please."

"Good luck, Roman," Dee murmurs as Roman climbs onto Patton's back. "I hope the situation is resolved.”

Roman nods mutely, and Patton spreads his wings and takes flight.

...

The moment they land on the balcony, Roman sees the shaking bundle of sheets on his bed and _knows_ he's fucked up. Patton peers in the windows worriedly, but at a word from Roman curls up on the balcony and tucks his head under his wing. Turning from him, Roman pushes the door open and carefully walks over to his bed, the sounds of quiet sniffles getting louder as he approaches.

"... Remus?" he says softly, laying a gentle hand on the pile. "I'm sorry for leaving like that earlier, I should have given you time to explain... do you need a hug?"

Instead of giving an answer, the sheets reach up and pull Roman into them like some sort of great pillowy monster, and Roman buries his head next to where he's pretty sure his brother's is.

"I'm so sorry, Re," he whispers. "I lashed out because I had been- so, so afraid for you. I thought you did it all for yourself, and I didn't even give you a chance to prove that it might have been something else... Even if it was all for you, I shouldn't have yelled and left."

Remus lets out a particularly loud sniffle, and Roman hugs him tight.

"Forgive me?"

"... yeah," Remus says, so quiet Roman can barely hear. "'S not like you were wrong about... about it hurting you. But I meant it to save you."

"Save me?" Roman asks, confused. "What do you mean?"

"... Father was planning on marrying you off to one of the Southern Kingdom royals, I'm not sure which one," Remus says, and Roman forgets how to breathe for a moment. "I had to get them out without our kingdoms' relationship being hurt, and the only way I could think of was by scaring them off with the idea of assassination threats."

"Oh, _Remus,"_ Roman whispers, cradling his brother as close as he can manage with the thick layers of blankets in the way. "I'm so, so sorry for thinking badly of you. For lashing out and leaving. I should have trusted you."

Remus snorts, but it doesn't sound very happy. "I'm kind of an ass," he mumbles. "Can't really blame you for it."

Roman pokes his side. "Hey, you stop that. You've always been there for me, even when you're being an ass. You've been working to stop Father's plans for years, and you deserve much better than distrust."

Remus finally, slowly, peels back the blankets hiding his face, displaying runny mascara, darkened cheeks, and bloodshot eyes, and Roman gives him a kiss on the forehead.

"You look tired, Re. You must have been working nonstop in order to get that plan set up... Do you want to take a nap? We can cuddle," he offers. Remus sighs softly.

"That does sound nice," he replies, and Roman nods, sitting up.

"I'll be right back, I have to tell Patton he can leave, okay?"

Remus nods, and Roman wriggles from his grasp, stands up, and makes his way over to the balcony, sliding the door open.

"... And I see, a, beau-ti-ful bu~u~u~u~tterfly~yyy, it flaps its wings, and, ta~akes to the sky~yyy," Patton sings, watching a swallowtail fluttering around the flowers on the balcony. "Gotta not, listen, iiiiiiin..."

"You're good to go, Pat," Roman says, and the dragon startles, scrambling to his paws.

"Oh, Roman! You have such quiet feet!" he manages, and Roman gives him a small smile.

"Sorry, Patton. But seriously, you're fine. Thank you for making sure everything is okay... and tell Dee his plan worked for me?"

Patton leans in and gives Roman another lick, this time brushing over his lips, and Roman's cheeks feel as if they're on fire.

"I will," Patton assures, and Roman nods rapidly. Patton giggles, turning to the railing of the balcony and spreading his wings.

"You're very cute when you're flustered," he tells Roman, and before Roman can reply Patton has tipped over the side and is flying right back up into the sky.

"... Bye," Roman manages, staring at him as he goes.

Patton just kissed him.

Patton just _kissed_ him.

Roman's emotions are all over the place- upset lingering from before, concern for Remus filling him still, but now, his adoration for his dragon friend is fluttering as well, welling up in his belly and heart.

He's absolutely gone for Patton, isn't he?... All the more reason to be grateful for his brother's intervention in the affairs of their Father.

Roman heads back inside and finds the burrito open for him to join, and he quickly tucks himself in for cuddles.

"I saw that," Remus croaks once Roman is in his grip, and Roman feels the blood drain from his face. "You kissed a _dragon."_

"I- that wasn't--"

"You're deb _auch_ ed!" Remus cackles softly, and Roman struggles to escape his hold. "Nuh-uh, you can't get away from this, revenge for giving my heart the ouchies earlier- you wanna marry a _dragon?!!"_

"He has a human-ish form!!" Roman protests, face aflame. "It's not _that_ queer!"

"It is _so_ queer!!" Remus laughs, a bit stronger this time. "You've always been so straight-laced about romance, I can't believe- ooooo, now _I_ get to tease _you!"_

"No!!"

"You're never living this down!!"

"Well, then, I'll simply have to vanquish you--!"

Roman's hands find Remus' sides, and his brother shrieks with laughter and tries to bite him, writhing in his grasp and gasping threats.

And somehow, Roman knows they will be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are looking up!
> 
> If you're hopeful for our last chapter and the close of this story, please consider leaving kudos! Or commenting, or both, I'm not picky!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton takes Roman on another flight.

Roman awakens to a knock on the glass of their balcony door, and rolls over in his bed to see the silhouette of Patton on the other side, moon glinting off his sides. He rubs his eyes, expecting it to be a waking dream, but Patton is still there and so Roman slips out of bed. He pulls on his nightrobe and slides the door open partway.

"Hey, Pat, what's up?" he whispers, voice roughened with sleep, and Patton's cheek scales light up. Roman is suddenly much less sleepy.

"I, uh, know it's not a quarter-moon time," Patton says, voice a little tremulous with... is it nervousness? "But I was hoping we could go on a short flight together?"

Roman blinks and begins to stretch to wake up more. "Well, alright, I'm sure you have a good reason. Is it okay if I grab something first?"

Patton nods, and Roman quickly heads to his bedside once more, grabbing the bag he had meant to confess with, pulling out the now-stale bread and setting it aside, and slinging the bag onto his back.

Patton greets him with an uncharacteristically shy grin at the door.

"Ready, Roman?"

Roman smiles back reassuringly. "Of course."

They take off in practiced movements, Roman clinging to Patton's back plates, and then, for the first time though he's thought about this many times before, he moves his arms around Patton's neck instead, hugging him. Patton lets out a soft sigh of contentment, and Roman feels butterflies erupt in his stomach.

Roman's going to let Patton know just how loved he is every chance he gets, now that he knows. And if Patton doesn't know, well... Roman brought his gifts along for a reason.

Patton deserves to feel as adored as he is.

They come into a slow spiral down onto a large hill, the tall grass blowing in the breeze and shining silver in the moonlight. Once Roman dismounts, Patton turns to him with bright cheeks and an even brighter smile.

"Roman, my darling," he says, voice reverent, and Roman feels his knees go weak. "I need to tell you something I've been meaning to for a while. Dee might have told you, but I wish to do so myself as well."

Roman swallows and reaches a hand to Patton, who meets it with his own paw. Their fingers intertwine gently.

"Roman," Patton breathes, stooping his head lower and closer, so his voice may be heard over the breeze, and Roman leans closer as well, their faces so close they're nearly brushing.

"We have spent much time together over the past months, and I have found myself enamored with you. You're kind, and helpful, and you clearly think things through to make sure those around you are safe. Not to mention your beauty."

Roman lets out a breathless and pitchy giggle, face aflame at the praises, and Patton's own cheeks brighten at the sound. He brings his nose to nuzzle into Roman's hair.

"So what I mean to say is, Roman," he murmurs, voice rumbling through Roman's body, and Roman feels his heart beating faster than it ever has, thrumming like a bird.

"I love you, Roman, from the very bottoms of my hearts. Would you like to be my mate?"

Roman feels tears welling in his eyes, and he raises a hand to wipe them away. He is filled with tremors and light and song, buzzing around and filling him up and making him feel as if he could fly around himself.

He throws his arms around Patton's neck and lets out his reply in a strangled sob.

_"Yes!!"_

Patton's forearms come up to hold him, soft and strong and welcoming, and Roman hugs him even tighter, weeping openly into his chest plates.

"I love you so much, Patton, you're so charming and funny and sweet, and every time we cuddle, or- or do things together, or even just speak, I never want it to end," he manages, and as Patton begins to purr, Roman dissolves into further tears.

"I want to hold you in my arms and kiss you long into the night," he confesses, desperate as a prayer. "I want to give you all the treasures you could ever desire, to make sure you're cared for and happy--"

"Roman, Roman, Roman," Patton whispers, warm and gentle as the breeze around them, and Roman gives up on words and simply melts into his new lover.

_I love you, I love you, from your scales to your tail and teeth and mind. I love every single thing I know about you, and all the things I have yet to discover._

Once the tears have stopped, what feels like eons later, Roman pulls back just enough to retrieve his bag and then snuggles back in.

"I have some things for you," he tells Patton, and Patton gasps softly.

"Is this what you went back to grab earlier? Oh, Roman, you're the sweetest," he whispers, and Roman giggles.

"You haven't even seen what it is yet," he teases, tilting his head up to look at Patton, and Patton smiles fondly down at him.

"I know I'll love anything you give me," he replies, and Roman nearly starts crying again just from the trust _soaked_ in every part of Patton's being. Quickly, he reaches into the pack and retrieves the presents - the stuffed toy kitten, the necklace, and the poems - and holds them up to Patton in offering.

"The kitten was mine, when I was younger," he explains, as Patton gingerly lifts and sniffs at it. "The necklace is my favorite one, and the pale cream contrasts your scales beautifully. And... I wrote these poems after our times together, to try to put my emotions into words for the time I confessed. Even though I didn't use them here, I hope they still strike a chord in you... make you feel good."

"Oh, Roman," Patton manages, even as his purring becomes so loud and deep it seems to shake the ground around them. _"Roman,_ I _adore_ these, and you giving me such precious things- I could kiss you."

Roman raises a hand to his lips, and Patton shrinks before him, paws still holding the gifts close to his heart. His mouth, now given a scaled ridge like lips, curls into a soft smile.

"May I?"

 _"Please,"_ Roman pleads, and then Patton's leaning forward and Roman's arms are cupping his face and their lips are meeting for the very first time, and it's _radiant._ The butterflies in Roman's stomach break free, and Patton's purrs rumble through his body, and Roman doesn't think he ever wants to let go. There are no fireworks, but Patton's cheeks are shining, there are thrills running through Roman's being, and the tenderness of Patton's kiss promises so much more adoration to come.

He cannot wait to experience it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading, commenting on, and supporting this fic! This last chapter was short and sweet, and trust me when I tell you there's still more to come. I love this au so much.
> 
> You already know what I'm gonna suggest here, but please- if you liked the fic, consider leaving a comment! The support is very motivating to continuing the series.


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